For those wondering exactly why North Melbourne is in Utah to train this pre-season, you need only ask Troy Flanagan, the High Performance Director of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA).

Flanagan is an Australian who worked with Essendon in 1998 and consulted for a number of other AFL teams. He is regarded as one of the most highly qualified sports science experts in the world.

That reputation may have something to do with his intimidating and impressive qualifications. Flanagan is a sports scientist, physiologist and aerospace engineer and has a very hands on approach with the USSA.

"I design all the suits, speed suits and ski jumping suits, I have projects to measure the skis as they come down the hill, how they're interacting with the snow and how they're prepared, plus I get to still work on the fitness and conditioning of all the athletes," Flanagan told kangaroos.com.au

During the training camp, North Melbourne was given the rare opportunity to train at the USSA's brand new $25 million Centre of Excellence in Park City.

The facility houses world-class high-performance athletic facilities including strength-training areas, a gymnasium, a climbing wall, ski and snowboard ramps, trampolines, a nutrition center and rehabilitation facilities.

But the most valuable resource at the centre is Flanagan and it's his expertise in altitude training that North Melbourne has been tapping into.

"The main benefit is to increase the production of red blood cells and oxygen transport around the body...that is a pretty critical step and also a pretty critical limitation to human performance," Flanagan explained.

"By increasing your red blood cells naturally by using altitude training you enhance your ability to do repeat efforts in sports like AFL."

Flanagan says North's camp will benefit the players immensly.

"They'll definitely get an altitude affect, we're high enough here in Park City to stimulate red blood cell production...how that relates to AFL football is kind of new but theoretically it should enhance their pre-season quite significantly."

Flanagan says altitude training will improve a player's endurance and fitness base regardless of age.

"The body responds pretty much the same to altitude whether you're a middle aged executive or an elite athlete, you still get that same hypoxia and increase in red blood cells in the body."

"This is the optimal time to use altitude training and to take advantage of it earlier for the pre-season...when you need that improvement in physiological capacity you should come and do it and the perfect time is now.

"The long slow sub-maximal work is the best to do at altitude but really, sleeping is the primary stimulus so it's probably what you do off the track that enhances your red blood cell capacity rather than on the track."

The training has been punishing for the players but making matters worse is an inability to get some much needed and deserved sleep. The majority of players have been unable to get a good night's sleep but Flanagan says there's nothing to worry about.

"That's quite a normal response particularly when you first get to altitude, your body is trying to catch up and cope with the lower partial pressure of oxygen in the air. So a typical symptom is disrupted sleep but that's a good sign because it indicated that the body is adapting and you're getting that stimlus that you need."