By Trent McKenzie

Gold Coast SUNS star Trent McKenzie writes exclusively for goldcoastfc.com.au
 

I'm completely sold on the benefits of high altitude training.

I reckon I saved myself three or four weeks by heading back to Arizona to complete my rehabilitation from a knee injury and I'm hoping I can put my name forward for senior selection in Round 3 with a strong showing in the reserves this week.

It is incredible to think I'm in just my second year of AFL football and I've already been on two high-altitude training camps to Arizona.

Plenty of clubs have yet to give it a try but I'm pretty sure that will change.

The gains we made as a group from our first camp in November were amazing.

Everyone came back with a far superior fitness base that was highlighted in our summer testing.

And the benefits didn't end there.

Just being together for an extended period, living with each other and sharing meals was a great bonding experience and I certainly feel like I got to know my team mates a lot better.

And it made us stronger as a team because we had to help each other get through what was a pretty tough time.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't get a chance to build on the fitness I achieved over there because I developed a stress fracture in my knee not long after we got back which cost me almost four months of training.

At that stage I was looking at missing about a third of the season until the club asked me if I would consider going back with team mates Josh Caddy, Josh Toy and Sam Day.

We had to come up with some of the cash for the trip but it didn't bother any of us because we were convinced it would improve our chances of getting back into the side.

I spoke to Bluey when I was deciding whether to go back or not and he thought I'd be looking at a return date of about round six or seven if I stayed on the Coast.

Although I couldn't run while I was over there, I was able to do cross training and just living for a couple of weeks at altitude is beneficial.

It has definitely worked.

I did a time trial last week and was only 5 seconds off my personal best and I played a game in the reserves last week.

If things work out the way I hope I‘ll be playing against St Kilda this weekend at Etihad Stadium.