Anthony O’Connor feels fitness levels are improving throughout City’s first-team ranks, ahead of this week’s return to contact training.
The Bantams began non-contact preparations last Thursday, and are set to step up further in a matter of days.
The defender is feeling sharper with each session and is looking forward to increasing the workload.
He said: “It has been great to be back. It has been a long lay-off, but thankfully we are now back in.
“The sessions have been very tough, but that is a given, during pre-season. The fitness levels seem to be really good, which shows the lads have been ticking over while at home.
“We have had the footballs out a little bit, and everyone cannot wait to step things up even more.
“The standard has been great and it has been nice to see all the lads again. You would not have thought we had been off for over four months.”
The 27-year-old has been pleased with the standards which have so far been set in training, and has enjoyed working alongside the new faces in the City camp.
The Irishman has been impressed by the input of the Bantams’ first-year professionals and is hoping for a successful season under Stuart McCall and Kenny Black.
O’Connor added: “The new lads are all great additions to the squad we already have. The young lads who have made the step up have settled in really well and do not look out of place at all.
“When the gaffer and Kenny (Black) came in last season, we really thought we were in with a chance of making the play-offs.
“It was obviously disappointing, how last season finished. We were right in the mix to get into the top seven, with nine games to go.
“There were no excuses because everyone else was in the same boat, there was nothing more we could have done. The buzz is definitely back, though, and we can hopefully go one better this year.”