Pre-season got underway on Monday, with the players put through a variation of the yo-yo test.
The squad is set for three “tough” days of training before flying out to Tenerife on Thursday, where they'll take part in a week long training camp.
Manager Keith Hill spoke to Dale Player after Monday’s session and he is pleased with the condition that the players have returned in.
“They’re good professionals and good athletes. We've got to be footballing athletes, there’s no question about that, so what we’ve done today is a fitness test,” said Hill.
“It was a variation on the yo-yo test, with balls included to stimulate the players because it is football that we’re actually preparing for. So everything that we try to do, even although the first three days are predominantly endurance based, we still have to integrate the football, which we have done today.
“The players have shown a great attitude and a good appetite today, and like I said previously, I’m very, very happy with the dynamics of the squad.”
He added: "[The next three days are going to be] very tough, not just physically, but physiologically as well. They’ll show willing and there has got to be a competitive nature because we’re looking for winners.
“There will be moments over the next four to six weeks where they’ll need their team mates to pick them up and we’re looking for a unity. We’ve already got that unity which is why I retained and extended the contracts of the players.”
The full interview is available to watch on Dale Player.