Stuart Broad is desperate to put three weeks of gruelling gym work behind him by helping England to score a morale-boosting win over Australia ahead of this year's Ashes.
Broad returned to the England fold on Friday when he was announced as part of the 13-man squad to face Australia in this year's one-day series.
Broad's inclusion came three weeks after he was told that he would be put on a program of 'strength and conditioning' work rather than take part in England's Test series against minnow Bangladesh.
At first sight, the selectors' decision looked to be a message to Broad to take a break ahead of a packed summer, but the Nottinghamshire seamer has in fact been spending the last three weeks working on a punishing weights schedule at the National Cricket Academy in Loughborough.
The 23-year-old admits it was frustrating to spend so much time in the gym while his international colleagues beat Bangladesh, but he is now desperate to make up for lost time by helping England build on its World Twenty20 win over its old enemy by winning the five-match series which begins on June 22.
"I'm really keen to get back," said Broad.
"It's hard for any professional sportsmen when you are not playing because you are not used to it. I came to Lord's on the Saturday of the first Test in my jeans and shirt and I'm usually in the dressing room!"
"The time off gives you a great buzz for though."
"I'm certainly excited about continuing our momentum by beating the Aussies in a one-day series this summer. We know how hard that is going to be as a team but we are ready for it."
Broad, who decided against playing in the Indian Premier League last year to stay fresh ahead of this year's schedule, admitted at the time that he was disappointed to be left out of the Bangladesh series, which England won 2-0.
The paceman insists the move will ultimately be beneficial though, with games against Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh due to take place ahead of this year's defence of the Ashes.
"Ultimately, I really do think it was a good decision," said Broad.
"It was tough on the body though. I was in the gym five days a week. One day I'd be doing maximum strength training on the legs, where I'd be lifting as heavy squats as I could, then the next day will be upper body doing bench press stuff."
"It's left me sore but that's how you strengthen and that's what I have needed to do."
"It's nice to see the hierarchy are looking not one or two weeks down the line, but months down the line instead."
Steven Finn starred leading the England attack against Bangladesh in Broad's absence.
The Middlesex seamer won man of the series after taking 15 wickets against the Tigers but he will now follow a similar course of conditioning after being left out of the ODI squad, who will warm up for the series with a game against Scotland in nine days' time.
Broad believes the decision will help Finn stay fresh ahead of the Ashes, where the 21-year-old's pace and height could prove vital against Ricky Ponting's team.
"We have seen already how much of a talent he is and I think it's important he stays injury-free and fresh," said Broad.
"It's good to see the management looking after him instead of just bowling him into the ground which could have left him injured when the Ashes came round."
England was brought crashing back down to earth by Australia shortly after the Ashes win when Andrew Strauss' team was thrashed 6-1 by the tourists in the following ODI series.
Broad believes England has developed too much since then to wilt in a similar fashion this year though.
"That was a long time ago," Broad said.
"We didn't play particularly well but we had a real revamp when we went to the Champions Trophy and we have played a totally different brand of cricket since."