NSmen will be able to self-administer their Individual Proficiency Test Preparatory Training (IPT) in a four-month trial, allowing them to conduct and monitor self-paced fitness training. (Photo © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
Friday, September 19, 2014 — National Servicemen (NSmen) will now be able to self-administer Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) Preparatory Training (IPT)*, according to cyberpioneer, the official news website of the Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces.
The IPT is a voluntary 10-session program that allows NSmen who fail their IPPT to progressively raise their fitness standards until they are able to pass it.
Those who participate in the four-month Self-Administered IPT trial, launched yesterday, will be National Servicement (NSmen) from a selected unit, who will have to use either the Health Promotion Board’s Interactive Diet and Activity Tracker (iDAT) mobile application or wearable Fitbit fitness bands.
Those using the fitness bands will have to clock 75 active minutes weekly to clock one IPT session, while those using the iDAT app will have to achieve 75 minutes of running at an average pace of seven minutes per kilometre.
Under the trial, NSmen will continue to do their first and last IPT sessions at one of the Fitness Conditioning Centres (FCCs) — at Khatib, Maju, Bedok, or Kranji camps — where they will take the IPPT.
“That’s our control measure. When the NSmen take the IPPT at the tenth session, we will know if their fitness has really improved,” Colonel Chua Boon Keat was quoted as saying in cyberpioneer’s report.
The Self-Administered IPT trial was announced by Second Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing at the first session of the IPT-in-the-Park trial — also for four months — at Bishan Park.
The IPT-in-the-Park trial allows NSmen to sign up for IPT outside of SAF camps in five park locations — The Promontory@Marina Bay, MOE Co-Curricular Activities Branch, Jurong Central Park, Bishan Park and Punggol Park. The four FCCs located in SAF camps are still available as options for IPT.
“IPT-in-the-Park will bring greater convenience to NSmen; they now have nine locations across the island to do their IPT,” Mr Chan said. “We want NSmen to take greater ownership (of their fitness) because we believe this is the best way to motivate them. We want to do what we can to help them to keep fit while they work and, at the same time, serve their national duties.”
The pair of trials follow changes to the IPPT format announced by SAF in July and the roll-out of an enhanced IPT system earlier in September.
The standing broad jump, pull-ups, and shuttle run were cut from the IPPT, which will be simplified to a three-station format of push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2.4km run.
In the enhanced IPT system, NSmen can choose to take part in five programmes targeted at boosting different aspects of fitness (aerobic threshold training, metabolic circuits, IPPT specific, weight loss, sports- or games-based training). Other changes to IPT include shorter session times (75mins, down from two hours) and smaller groups of 30 NSmen (previously 50).
*The enhanced IPT is a voluntary 10-session program with Personal Performance Targets (PPT) in the first nine months of the NSman’s IPPT birthday window. IPPT will be conducted during the first and 10th session of the IPT to determine and measure the standard and performance of the NSman before and after the IPT program. The annual IPPT requirement will be fulfilled upon successful attainment of the required PPT during non-ICT/ICT IPPT sessions.
If your Body Mass Index is 27 and above, you will, by default, be enrolled into the weight-loss IPT program. The PPT will be raised automatically on a yearly basis to motivate NSmen to seek continuous fitness improvement.
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