The team had a bye last week and dispersed to various parts of the country to rest some tired bodies and minds.
The players came back together and started training again on Monday.
The team can hardly ease back into training as its first game up after the week off is a Derby match against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph said the side was looking forward to the rest of the season and enjoyed the week off.
''It was good to get that win [against the Stormers] and then have a bit of a breather. The guys are jumping around getting ready for a tough challenge against the Crusaders,'' Joseph said.
''The Crusaders are coming off a 50-point win over the Sharks. They really smashed them, so we know we are going to be up against it. Obviously, their confidence should be high so that basically means we are going up there and are going to have to play very well.''
The side has had its two byes and has 10 games left in 10 weeks over the rest of the season.
It sits fifth on the ladder and its destiny is in its own hands.
Joseph said the next phase of the season was the coming four weeks when the side had two games away from home and two at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
''So we just head up the road to Christchurch, then come back and play the Blues, nip over to Aussie and play the Brumbies before coming back and playing the Sharks at home before heading overseas.''
The final six game are all away from Forsyth Barr Stadium - three of those in New Zealand, two in South Africa, and one against the Force in Perth. The one ''home'' game is in Invercargill, against the Chiefs.
Joseph said playing away from home was not all negative.
''... we are such a tight team, so to go away for such a long period of time is not necessarily a bad thing. These days players stay in lovely hotels and fly business class. Sure, they miss their family and friends but it is pretty much part of the job these days.
''There is plenty of time at the end of the season to make up for that.''
Winger Richard Buckman is not having a great run with injury. A knee injury has resulted in his being unavailable for the first part of the season.
He got over that and started a club game last Thursday for University, his first hit-out for six months.
But he failed to see the game out, landing awkwardly on his shoulder when going up for a high ball.
The Hawkes Bay man left the field but Joseph said yesterday it was not a serious injury.
However, a lack of match time and limited contact training meant he was unlikely to play on Saturday in Christchurch.
Other injured players - Shane Christie (hamstring), John Hardie (ankle) and Ross Geldenhuys (thumb) - have not recovered from the injuries and when they will play again is unclear.
