Essendon captain Jobe Watson is currently leading the way at the club’s high altitude camp in Boulder, Colorado.

On his third consecutive camp, Watson has driven high standards among his teammates to ensure they all get the most benefit out of the trip.

Defender Cale Hooker said it was beneficial to have the captain setting the pace for most of the sessions.

“It is good because we are probably all not too far off each other, Jobe is leading the way in the fitness and we are trying to hang on to him,” Hooker said.

“It is really good for us three to keep up with him and to keep up to his standards.”

Hooker and Watson have teamed up to take on Michael Hibberd and Michael Hurley throughout the trip across a number of activities.

Hibberd and Hurley were victorious on day two with a points win during the skills session.

The All-Australian defender said he was enjoying his second high altitude training camp to Boulder after first going with the club in 2013.

“Coming here this year, you forget how thin the air is, you forget how hard it is to train in,” he said.

“I am really enjoying it as we have a great set up and a great program so I am really enjoying it second day in.”

Hooker said the effects of altitude were not limited to sessions in the outdoors with weights in the gym just as taxing.

“You notice it doing weights as well, at the start as you get to four or five reps you start to feel it a bit more than you do normally do.” He said.

“That is all part of altitude and part of getting used to it.”