Paul Huntington has been speaking about the tests that players encounter during pre-season training.
Aside from the physical strain of increasing their fitness, in warm temperatures, Huntington also spoke about the mental tests that players must break through, which is exactly what pre-season is all about.
Speaking to iFollow PNE, he said: “You train, come in a bit sore the next day, train again, a bit more sore the next day. That’s what pre-season is about.
“It is about training your muscles and your body to withstand that and when you are hurting get through it both physically and mentally.
“There are quite a few tests in pre-season and it’s just about getting through that rather than going over what you’re used to, rather than trying to impress.
“Having done quite a few of these it is about getting through it and feeling fit at the end of it. Rather than expending yourself like maybe some of the younger boys. I was probably one of them when I was their age as well.
“It’s all about getting through it and coming out the other side and the matches start and your matches is something slightly different.
“People are at different levels for different sort of runs we’ve been doing and we’ll continue to do. As long as you’re putting in 100 per cent effort nobody will have any complaints. With the heat it’s made it harder, but hopefully that will help us in the long run.”
With a handful of new faces in at Springfields over the past week, the defender is confident that the new additions will have no trouble settling into their new surroundings.
“It’s a really easy group to get along with. Everyone is really welcoming, we’ve no big egos or anything like that.
“We’ve got a really honest group and a good set of lads which is something that we’ve built over quite a few years now, it’s just to add to it.
“They’ve settled in fine, we’re just getting to know each other and then we go away to Ireland so that gives us a good chance to get to know the new lads a little bit more and that can only bode well going forward.”
With the first pre-season game of the season approaching against Bamber Bridge on Saturday, PNE’s No.23 is looking forward to getting back into the swing of things in lilywhite.
“Always with the first couple of pre-season games, it feels a bit strange getting into games, with your football movements and stuff like that.
“I’m sure once the first few are out of the way then you start getting into it, you get sharper, you feel your touch and your movements in training; you start to definitely feel as though you’re sharpening up it’s just that initial couple of weeks.
“The supporters I’m sure will be looking forward to seeing us back in action as we are.
“It’s good for supporters, a nice local game and I’m just looking forward to getting some match minutes - the start of our preparations building towards the first game of the season.
“It’s just another step for us as a collective really, but I’m sure it’ll be a good day our for the supporters.”
You can watch the full interview with Paul Huntington by clicking on the video above.