MORE HELP TO GET IN SHAPE

National Service (NS) Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) and IPPT Preparatory Training (IPT) systems enhanced to raise and sustain the fitness levels of citizen soldiers.

A basic level of fitness is a crucial building block of any military force and starting 1 Apr 2011, Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) will be able to sustain their fitness levels better and enjoy greater flexibility in planning their fitness training regime.

The two key changes to the NS IPPT system, which will take effect then, are the result of a review of the system based on feedback from NSmen and fitness training science, and are designed to help NSmen train more effectively.

Minister of State for Defence Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee announced the key changes on 11 Oct at the Maju Camp: "First, to provide sustainable and progressive fitness improvement, the current IPT will be enhanced from a voluntary five-week programme, to a voluntary nine-month programme with customised Personal Performance Targets (PPTs) over the same number of training sessions."

"Second, the one-year window for NS IPPT, which opens annually on the individual's birthday, will also be re-calibrated to nine months for IPPT and three months for remedial training, or RT."

With the enhanced IPT programme, NSmen will have more flexibility in balancing the demands of work responsibilities, family commitments and their 10 sessions of training. Coupled with the PPTs, the new programme provides intermediate targets to ensure progressive training, tracks performance, and is customised to suit the different fitness levels of NSmen.

The shorter nine-month requirement to clear the IPPT will help NSmen to sustain their fitness better by enabling them to take their IPPT and RT within the same one-year window. NSmen will also have greater flexibility in booking RT sessions as they now have a three-month window as opposed to the previous two-month window.

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) (NS) Zee Yoong Kang, Commanding Officer of 700th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, explained that this new one-year window would make for more sustained fitness levels by reminding people that fitness maintenance is not a last-minute thing. "You ve got to train consistently and this new regime will help people achieve that," said LTC (NS) Zee.

The enhanced IPT programme will also include coaching sessions for NSmen on exercise methods, health and fitness. Some of the topics to be covered include health and nutrition, exercise principles, preventing and managing sports injuries.

Changes to IPPT & IPT

Why: The Singapore Armed Forces constantly reviews its systems and processes to better provide Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) with progressive and sustainable fitness training together with greater scheduling flexibility.

When: From 1 Apr 2011.

Changes:

• Should NSmen be unable to clear their IPPT nine months from their birthday, as opposed to the previous 12 months, they will be provided with further training support through Remedial Training (RT) to better help them meet their annual IPPT obligation. NSmen now have 12 weeks to complete RT as opposed to the previous eight weeks.
  
• NSmen can now clear their 10 IPPT Preparatory Training sessions over nine months instead of over five weeks. This gives them more flexibility to train their fitness level progressively, allowing NSmen to regulate their training regime with more ease while balancing National Service and personal commitments.
  
• IPT programmes are now more customised with the introduction of Personal Performance Targets which are based on NSmen s current fitness level to ensure progressiveness in training and are also developed based on exercise science principles.