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Take a sneak peek inside Kallang Football Hub’s next-gen football gym

Updated: May 8, 2024

The work a footballer does off the pitch is often as important as the work he or she does on it. 


With that in mind, the Unleash The Roar! national football project has unveiled an ultra-modern, next-gen gym catered specifically to the needs of the modern-day footballer.


The newly-opened Kallang Football Hub is not only unique for its seven pitches, which includes a full-sized natural-grass pitch and three artificial FIFA Quality Pro Mark turf fields, but also a high-performance football-centric gym that integrates the latest technology and sport science.


A new standard in strength and conditioning


Through deliberate design, the usage of the 250 sqm space has been maximised to fit in cutting-edge strength and conditioning equipment that aims to assess and train specific football target areas. 


Said Dr Frankie Tan, Principal Sport Physiologist at SportSG/UTR!: “The priority is to take a proactive approach and implement individualised programmes to build up our players from young. This can help to minimise injury risk and optimise their physical potential.”


There are five comprehensive zones in the gym, each offering a tailored approach to enhancing different aspects of physical development, from strength, power, and cardiovascular fitness to prehabilitation and rehabilitation training.


Walkthrough of the 5 zones


The new 250 sqm Kallang Football Hub gym is designed for national footballers. Created with high-performance turf surface and built-in cushioning, the Athletic Movement Zone enhances the football-centricity of the gym and allows athletes to carry out various drills.


As athletes enter the air-conditioned gym, they will be greeted by innovative testing equipment used to take stock of their current performance, monitor progress, and assess risks. Said Dr Tan: “A selection of tests can be used to ensure that players are well for regular training and competition preparation.”


1) Monitoring and Testing Zone


Sport Scientist, Marcus Lee, demonstrates a counter-movement jump on the ForceDecks for NDC U15 player, Seri Nurinsyirah, to measure lower-body power.


The Monitoring and Testing Zone offers several tracking technologies that provide instantaneous feedback. The easy-to-use ForceDecks are essentially dual-force plate systems to assess strength, power, and asymmetry.


“We can use it for single- or double-leg counter-movement jumps, squat jumps, drop jumps etc.,” shared Marcus Lee, Sport Scientist at UTR!.


There is also a comprehensive system, ForceFrame, for isometric testing and training across every major joint in the body. Common measurements that are important for footballing requirements include the hip abductor and adductor strength. Lastly, the gold standard in hamstring testing, NordBord, allows for the assessment of hamstring strength isometrically in various positions/angles and also eccentrically through the full range of motion.


“As sport scientists, we look at data to determine and personalise our programmes. Monitoring growth and performance can keep us on track,” said Sufian Yusof, Sport Scientist at UTR!. “We use a needs-analysis approach for every player to optimise training and prepare them for the demands of the game.”


2) Athletic Movement Zone


NDC U16 player, Rauf Anaqi, executes a ladder drill on the Athletic Movement Zone’s high-performance turf to work on his agility.


In the middle of the gym sits a thick, strength coach-endorsed training turf emblazoned with the UTR! logo.


“The built-in cushioning provides shock absorption to promote optimal training and performance,” Dr Tan explained. Offering solid-grip technology and boosted wear resistance, the Athletic Movement Zone is designed to enhance physical and technical development through movement. Here is where individual or small-group drills are held on an open surface designed for jumps, plyometrics, agility, and various athletic movements.


Advocating a “proactive mindset towards physical preparation to minimise injury”, Dr Tan believes that young players must focus more on developing movement competencies and technique mastery.


3) Conditioning and Rehabilitation Zone


Rauf Anaqi gives his all on the TechnoGym Skillrun treadmill as he tries out the Parachute Training mode, a form of resistance training that helps to boost resistive power and maximum sprinting velocity.


One of the key highlights of the gym is its Specialised Conditioning and Rehabilitation Zone, featuring the Technogym Skillrun, which are specialised high-performance treadmills that allow for concurrent strength, power, speed, and cardiovascular workouts. Besides offering speeds of up to 30 km/h and a maximum incline of 25 per cent, distinct features include the Sled Push Function and Parachute Training Function. The sled push helps to improve sprinting and acceleration abilities, and the parachute training helps to boost resistive power and maximum sprinting velocity. The latter gives the athlete a simulated taste of what it feels like to run with a parachute behind you.


Included as part of this zone are also the leg press and leg extension/curl cable machines that offer more controlled movements and range of motion, useful for players who are undergoing rehabilitation.


4) Strength and Power Zone


Rauf Anaqi performs a squat with the ergonomically-designed safety-squat bar, which reduces strain on the shoulders and lower back.


Occupying the other half of the gym is a dedicated Strength and Power Zone, installed with high-density rubber flooring to absorb impact and support heavy lifting and dropping of weights especially during power training. Two mammoth Keiser Triple Trainers and a Power Rack stand out with their impressive patented Keiser Pneumatic Technology that allow for training at any speed, from controlled to explosive, for improved power. Connected to a custom-designed compressor system, these top-of-the-line machines are powered by air resistance, enabling football players to properly train any movement, in any direction, and at any speed. These machines can track the speed of movement and force applied and therefore, measure the power output and fatigue across repetitions.


Within this zone, there is also a specially tailored multifunctional fitness rig that complements three conventional power racks. “Customised for strength, power, and circuit-type training purposes, the fitness rig includes multiple functional attachments to perform various exercises and can accommodate several users concurrently,” explained Dr Tan.


To accommodate youth and beginner lifters, 8-kg technique bars are provided in addition to the usual 20-kg Olympic bars, along with safety-squat bars for better ergonomic support, as well as an open-hex bar for lunges, deadlifts, and the farmer’s walk, which is an exercise that can bolster injury resilience and improve dynamic core strength.


“Fundamentally, this zone allows young football players to develop athletic training competencies through an exploration of various movement skills,” said Dr Tan.


Senior athletes will also find value in the quality and efficacy of equipment to maximise performance while reducing injury risk.


5) Cardio Zone


Seri Nurinsyirah tries out the Wattbike Nucleus bike under the guidance of Sport Scientist, Sufian Yusof. Unlike the other indoor exercise bikes, the Wattbike Nucleus is specifically designed for more advanced cardiovascular training.


For football players, cardiovascular endurance is a key enabling ability and physical fitness attribute to help them boost their performance on the pitch. To achieve these goals, the gym’s Cardio Zone provides a fleet of cycle ergometers for each player’s respective needs - whether it’s spin bikes for general cardio workout sessions, recumbent bikes for rehabilitation, or high-resistance Wattbike Nucleus cycle ergometers. The latter offers higher resistance options for more advanced cardiovascular training and performance feedback for a fully connected user experience. 


With increased stamina, players can recover quicker between high-intensity efforts and sprints, and perform more effectively for the duration of the game.


What our youth players have to say


Said left-winger Rauf Anaqi from the Under-16 NDC: “At other gyms, I can only train for strength, but not so much agility. The football-specific equipment here is very advanced and provides better support for me,” he shared, citing the Technogym Skillrun as his favourite equipment for its Parachute Training feature.


Echoed Seri Nurinsyirah from the Under-15 League: “The Parachute (Training) is fun!”


Noting how it can help her to improve her speed performance, Seri described being “excited to try different things at the new gym, as it has better equipment and facilities all combined in one space.” Having started her football journey at nine years old, Seri, who trains every day, is gunning for an overseas football scholarship and hopes to play at the national level one day.


Seri Nurinsyirah enjoys the adrenaline rush from the Parachute Training mode on the Technogym Skillrun treadmill, while securely held by the ergonomic adjustable belt.


Leading new, innovative ways in football


The Kallang Football Hub aims to uplift the national football spirit through a combination of sport science-led programmes and a host of specialised equipment and facilities. Watch this video from Channel News Asia to find out more.


“We train with a plan and purpose in mind,” shared Sufian. “What do we want to change? What can we do to achieve them?” These are the questions that the team is committed to finding solutions for.


Said Dr Tan: “Ultimately, we need good programming and great discipline to train to be the best that we can be. While we still have a long way to go, these are steps in the right direction to getting our youth athletes in the best shape and condition as they train.”

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