3 Ways To Get F-F-F! (Fighting-Fit-Fast) for IPPT
Get in shape for IPPT and ready to serve our nation! Here are 3 of the best ways!
Sure, your IPPT (insert convoluted army jargon here) is next quarter / month / week(OMG!), and you’re panicking at the thought of the dreaded RT (Remedial Training) where you have to bail out of the office – braving your boss’ black face – rush through peak hour traffic to some ulu (remote) army camp to get your butt kicked by screaming sergeants.
But there should be method in the madness, and we’re here to help you find it, and get Fighting-Fit-Fast. For the uninitiated, the IPPT or Individual Physical Proficiency Test is a yearly affair where you do as many push-ups and sit-ups in a minute, not forgetting to run as fast as your legs can carry you for 2.4km.
We’re going to take some inspiration from the animal kingdom, from an animal that’s always Fighting-Fit and Fast: the wolf. The wolf has no problem running 2.4km. Or doing push-ups. And you never see a wolf with a beer belly.
So, find out what kind of awoooooooooooo (wolf) you are, and pick one of the 3 ways, based on your fitness breed.
1. The Lone Wolf
If you tend to get distracted by chitchatting with friends (who might not have the same IPPT deadline), and want to really focus on your specific fitness needs, then you are a lone wolf, and a personal trainer can really make the most of your training.
When you train alone, there’s no one to hold you back, and in fact your personal trainer will be focusing on you and egging you on. Finding the right personal trainer is as important as finding your significant other. We suggest finding instructors who are full-time professionals. They have training in exercise science, anatomy, not to mention nutrition and regeneration. A tailored fitness programme crafted to make you into a spartan can also be the difference between catching Pokémon in between two situp reps.
There’s no better place to kickstart your personal training journey than at UFIT one-north @ Galaxis. A trainer is matched specifically based on your need to pass IPPT and will work with you on fitness and wellness until you pass muster – or better.
Don’t be afraid if your personal trainer turns out to be a Muay Thai fighter, professional boxer, or mixed martial artist, because they all come from athletic backgrounds, and it takes a warrior to make a warrior. They are highly qualified in a range of fields from exercise science, sports nutrition to physiotherapy, so they know what they’re talking about.
2. The (6-)Pack Wolf
If you prefer to get your 6-packs in a pack, need the motivation of friends, or are simply a more social creature, then you should join group fitness classes. Working out in a group might be more fun, and studies have shown that exercising in a group increases endorphin release, as communal workouts provide a sense of belonging. Also, if there are cute students (or trainers) in the class, you might be incentivised not to wuss out even if you’re disintegrating inside.
Capital Tower Sports Performance by Fitness First is just what you need. Located on the 9th floor of Capital Tower, the facility is fitted with the latest machines, a heated swimming pool and lots of resistance equipment for really sweaty sessions. They have classes designed to train office executives into soldierly athletes (at least those who won’t fail their IPPT). These classes range from 30 minutes to an hour, so you can put your lunch hour to better use than stuffing down fried kway teow at the nearby hawker centre.
The fitness club is spacious and brightly lit, filled with great music to beat along with your racing heart. Lots of goodies are thrown in too, with complimentary drinks, lockers, and workout attire and towels provided – so that “oh, I forgot my exercise gear” excuse is not valid anymore.
Try for three days before you buy! Get a free 3-day Fitness First trial pass to access all Fitness First group exercise classes and facilities when you participate in any of the Live It Up! Activities at Capital Tower, CapitaGreen, One George Street and Six Battery Road!
3. The Mountain Wolf
If you swing both ways, and are more concerned about having an ultimate full-body workout that’s also insanely fun, you should consider a facility that combines a gym and rockclimbing. Exercise is about engaging your muscles and working them, and when it comes to activating and training a diverse range of muscles, there are few things more strenuous than climbing. This becomes especially important when you understand that the IPPT is designed to test the fitness of an entire soldier’s body.
Climbing is an endlessly variable series of movements. No two climbing routes are the same, so your muscles get a different workout with each route you climb, and a great training with every route. Some moves are practically push-ups on the walls, and it’s also an excellent cardiovascular workout. If you’re not sure what’s “cardiovascular”, it just means your heart’s gonna be pumping like it means it – great for that 2.4 km run.
You can really get up to speed the Mountain Wolf way at Fit Bloc, located at Oasis in Singapore Science Park. It has some of the best bouldering walls on our island, special facilities like an outdoor lap pool, sauna, strength room to improve your general conditioning, and treadmills and indoor bikes for warmups and more of that lovely cardiovascular workout.
BONUS – Get fit, do good and win CapitaVouchers!
Whatever kind of wolf you are – we’re sure you wouldn’t mind some CapitaVouchers. Take part in the race to train up and shape up for your IPPT. Even better, CapitaLand Hope Foundation will be donating S$10 to Rainbow Centre Singapore for every person who joins the race. Doing good and looking good all at once? Yes!
In addition to your physical capabilities, teamwork and environmental awareness will also be key elements differentiating the winning teams. The victorious will scoop up $10,000 worth of CapitaVouchers.
All teams will start the race with the same number of points representing the carbon footprint of an average person in Singapore, and work towards reducing the points through different challenges. Reduce as many points as you can and complete all the challenges in the shortest time possible!
If you work in a CapitaLand office building or know friends / family members working in one – get them to sign up for the CCT Live It Up! Race now.