Vice-captain Cole Skuse says the Blues squad are in fantastic shape as they go into their pre-season friendly programme.
The players returned to Playford Road three and a half weeks ago working to the EFL’s Protocol for Return to First Team Training having been away from the club since the 2019/20 season was suspended in March.
After a proposed fixture away against West Ham’s U23s was cancelled on Saturday, a member of the Hammers’ academy staff having tested positive for Covid-19, the Blues play their first fixtures of pre-season behnd closed doors at Colchester on Tuesday when the sides take part in two back-to-back 75-minute games.
"Throughout Covid you can do road running or your own ball work, but you can't quite replicate what you do in a proper training session,” Skuse, 34, told iFollow Ipswich.
"We came back in the small bubbles originally. In terms of building up to the contact, that's been good because the games have been at a really good tempo.
"To go from doing your running and stuff at home, to then doing your bubble work but at a distance - the lads have come back in fantastic shape.
"You need to transfer that into the contact stuff and the certain movements that you have on a football pitch - the lads have been brilliant."
A stream of the two games at Colchester, which can be accessed here, costs £5 with the Blues receiving 50 per cent of the revenue.
Incoming signings Stephen Ward, David Cornell and Oli Hawkins are likely to make their first appearances in Town shirts at the JobServe Community Stadium with their signings expected to be confirmed tomorrow.
The Blues are in action at Tottenham next Saturday, then West Ham are at Portman Road the following Tuesday with another away match pencilled in for the following Saturday. All games are behind clsoed doors.