Western Bulldogs Strength Coach Andy Barnett is placing a high premium on not only increasing muscle but translating that power out onto the field this pre-season.

A clear focus on pure strength before Christmas saw the playing group hit multiple benchmarks set by Barnett - with 75% able to squat one and a half times their body weight, as well as over 80% able to deadlift one and a half times their body weight.

Now that the players are fully immersed in the NAB Cup competition, the emphasis is on learning how to best exploit that power and implement more speed into their movement.

“The direction we are taking that now is we are trying to shift it over very subtly toward more of a power type program,” Barnett said.

“We are going to work one day a week where we are taking a little bit lighter weight and moving it faster.”

Bearing less weight has not made Barnett’s weights program any less gruelling for the players, as they switch to the second phase of the pre-season.

“I think with some of these guys they are starting to feel that my idea of a lighter weight isn’t exactly light,” he said.

“So they are starting to understand that we are going to get stronger throughout the season but we are going to do it at a faster speed.”

Movement mechanics have also been a core focus over summer as part of the Bulldogs program implemented by Barnett - who hails from a background in American Football and Olympic training centres.

“I’ve seen 100 guys who can squat 200 [or] 300 kilos but they can’t move, so what difference does it make,” he said.

“So one of the areas that we have delved into but we haven’t gotten into as deep as I would like is just real basic movement mechanics.

“How to accelerate, how to do change of direction, these types of things - which then bring what we are doing in the weight room into play.

“I am seeing some of the drills that we are doing, I am starting to see some of the footwork get better - so things will start to transfer out from the weights room.”

Gains have been made on the new program throughout the playing group, while versatile tall Jordan Roughead said the preseason has been tough but enjoyable.

“It’s been a solid pre-season, it’s been a real challenge,” Roughead said.

“We’ve had Andy and Graham [Lowe] come in and they have brought some new philosophies to some of our sessions which has been a challenge.

“But all of the boys have adapted well and we have had some fun out there as well.”