Bombers skipper Jobe Watson and a number of emerging stars including Dyson Heppell Michael Hurley and Jake Melksham, all of whom are in the USA on a pre-season training camp, recently watched the University of Colorado Buffaloes go through their paces.
The Essendon boys initially observed a weights session on Thursday (American time).
"Some of the stuff they do is really erratic and rapid," Melksham told Bomber TV.
"We've spotted some exercises they do that we do, but I think they do them at a little bit more powerful level.
"They just have that little bit of extra strength in them."
Melksham and his teammates then watched the Buffaloes train at their home stadium, the 11,000-capacity Coors Events Centre in the city of Boulder.
"It's a lot more intense than we thought it would be," defender Michael Hibberd said.
"They've got a game tomorrow night, so they're actually going pretty hard, running up and down the court a lot.
"So it's good to watch. It's a much different sport, but the way they block is something we're keeping an eye on."
At the conclusion of the training session, Watson presented University of Colorado head coach, Tad Boyle, with an Essendon guernsey.
The touring party returned to the stadium on Friday night to watch the Buffaloes' season opener against the Wofford Terriers.
