"It's something we did back in the day. He keeps those old school ones close to his heart and pulls them out when he feels he needs to."
The Mount might be holiday-maker heartland, but in a typical New Zealand spring, it's hardly going to tip the mercury like the Gold Coast or Dubai, the first two stops of the World Series circuit.
"Gold Coast is a new one. We've got three tourneys to start us off - Gold Coast, Dubai then South Africa - so it's going to be pretty demanding.
"Titch's training is what prepares us. It's not so much physically, but they're mentally draining as well," says Forbes, who believes coping with the heat is as much a state of mind as it is body.
"The old boys are used to the heat, it's the new boys you have to worry about a bit. We've played in India [2010 Commonwealth Games], we've played in Dubai when it's been pretty bad so it's part and parcel of what we have to deal with.
"The guys are just excited about playing at a new venue."
Gold Coast has replaced Adelaide as the Australian leg of the circuit, with Adelaide's late-March time-slot being taken by Japan. There are nine rounds in all, with further plans to expand the circuit as sevens prepares for its entry into the 2016 Olympics.
It means, for semi-sevens specialists like Forbes, who also play in the ITM Cup, an off-season is a foreign concept.
"The ITM Cup boys, the Super rugby guys, they're still in 'day-off' mode but we're into the thick of things already," he said. "We're used to it now. We're the only rugby players in the world who don't get an off-season.
"For some of us, the last four or five years, we've been going non-stop."
New Zealand has won nine of the 12 titles on offer since the inception of the World Series in 1999-2000. That brings with it the pressure of being the hunted.
"We expect everyone to throw the kitchen sink at us," Forbes says.
"We know that even the minnows tend to grow another leg when they play us. Nothing new there."
Tietjens has added some new blood into his squad. He has gained a reputation for taking raw materials and moulding them into potential stars.
If you had to pick just one to watch, then keep an eye on Auckland's Charles Piutau.
"He is a midfielder who I rate very highly," Tietjens said. "He has a lovely step, has played in the under-20s and he certainly enjoys the game of sevens, which has a lot more space and he will be able to use his great set of skills."
Tietjens also has big wraps on 18-year-old Joseph Webber, fresh out of Hamilton Boys' High School, a modern-day production line of rugby talent.
"He has amazing talent and is very similar to Declan O'Donnell," Tietjens said. "You will see a lot of this boy because he is very, very skilful."
Tasman playmaker James Marshall and Waikato's Glen Robertson are the squad's other debutants.
NZ sevens squad
DJ Forbes (captain, Counties Manukau), Toby Arnold (Bay of Plenty), Scott Curry (BoP), Tomasi Cama (Manawatu), Frank Halai (Waikato), Solomon King (North Harbour), James Marshall (Tasman), Tim Mikkelson (Waikato), Charles Piutau (Auckland), Lote Raikabula (Wellington), Glen Robertson (Waikato), Joseph Webber (Waikato).
WORLD SERIES
* Gold Coast: November 25-25
* Dubai: December 2-3
* Port Elizabeth: December 9-10
* Wellington: February 3-4
* Las Vegas: February 10-12
* Hong Kong: February 23-25
* Tokyo: March 31-April 1
* Edinburgh: May 5-6
* London: May 12-13
