With a new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL owners and the NFL Players Association, this year’s training camp brings new rules. No longer will teams be able to conduct two full-contact practices per day in pads. Despite restrictions, and the absence of an organized workout system this past offseason, head coach Norv Turner and his players are already making promises that they will be ready for the start of the season.

Center Nick Hardwick, the Chargers' player representative during the CBA negotiations, believes the NFL is better off under the terms of the new CBA. “From my point of view, the system needed to be upgraded,” Hardwick said. “We are working under a modern system now.”

Hardwick asserted not having two full-contact practices per day will actually benefit him and his teammates. “We can do a lot technically without having any combat,” Hardwick said. “There is a lot that needs to be done that (previously) just got brushed under the rug ... Now we can spend the time to ingrain them into the guys.”

Hardwick also pointed out that the less intense practices should benefit rookies, who typically would have had a playbook the day after the draft. Due to the NFL lockout most did not receive playbooks until the start of training camp. A less rigorous practice schedule will give them more study time with the play book while they are less tired.

Turner admits his rookies have some catching up to do. “We are way behind,” Turner said. “Our young players ... are four months behind from where they normally would be. We have a lot of work to do to get them caught up.”

Turner continues, “There is going to be a great sense of urgency to get ready because we are behind. We are going to walk that tightrope, in terms of trying to stay healthy while getting our football team ready.”

Injuries are a concern considering that last year the Chargers tied an NFL record for most players used on game day active rosters in a season. In addition, because of the lockout, the players were not required to participate in any offseason workouts.

With this in mind, Turner required all of the players who had reported to camp on Wednesday to conduct a physical fitness conditioning test. “I would say 98 percent of (our players) are in great shape.”

This was the first time under Turner the players have been required to take a conditioning test. Turner said he did not require them in the past because he had a good assessment of what condition his players were in based on their participation in offseason workouts.

While Turner is concerned about catching up his rookies, he is not concerned about the defense’s ability to quickly play at a high level while learning the scheme of new defensive coordinator Greg Manusky. “The good players I have been around are not hindered by a system,” Turner said. “It doesn’t take a guy that long to learn a system.”

Turner said his number one concern going into training camp is preventing turnovers because in his assessment turnovers are what prevented the Chargers from reaching the playoffs last season. “In our first seven games (in 2010), we turned the ball over 18 times and we didn’t create very many turnovers,” Turner said. “If you are going to be a good football team, you can’t turn the football over.”

All of this focus and intensity will hopefully get the Chargers out to a fast start this year, and that is something they have never accomplished under Norv Turner. The Bolts have been a dismal 1-3 through each of the first four games of the season since Turner joined the team in 2007.

However, quarterback Philip Rivers says Turner always runs an intense camp and Rivers does not have a reason for the consistent slow starts. “It’s tough,” Rivers said. “I don’t think they are a lack of preparation, a lack of intensity, or a lack of focus. I don’t think those type of things from a training camp philosophy standpoint need to be changed.”

Turner admits that until the Chargers actually live up to the promise of a fast start, he and the team will be questioned about his approach to training camp. “We want to play great in September,” Turner said. “It will be an emphasis throughout the entire camp from me and from (the media). I know that.”