---The new IPPT standard WORRIES me!---- So the first reaction that many would give me when I make a statement like this is Chey. You fit mah. Easy for you to say. But I assert that I have the right to say that the new IPPT standards are a joke and worrying. First off, I am not FIT. I consider myself of above average fitness only. Because this is I have had to and still work to achieve and develop my fitness. I was not born fit. I am not naturally fit. By JC1, I still could not do any pull-ups, my fastest 2.4km run was a 10.30mins and I was very skinny. Currently I train 5-6 days a week. My minimum static sets daily would be 200-300 pushups and 400-500 abs exercises. I run a minimum of 3 times a week: 1 x stair run day, 1 x interval run and 1 x 30mins (and beyond) EZ run. All this are to provide the base for my combat sports/self-defense training. So I am not naturally fit. I have to work a lot to maintain and develop my fitness because I understand that fitness is a BASIC REQUIREMENT and EXPECTATION of me as a NS-man (If you want to use a knife as a deterrence, you better keep the knife sharp), a combat sports/self-defense instructor (mentoring by example and functional requirement) and a NCC CO (leadership by example). My concern with the new IPPT standards is that 1) entire generations will now not do/do much less pull-ups (and pull-ups are a much better test of upper body strength and coordination) and SBJs (a great test of lower body explosive power, core muscle and body mechanics) 2) Glass ceiling effect: before I started doing triathlons, I used to think that a 9.43mins 2.4km run was fast due to the old IPPT standard. But when I came into contact with 40+ year old tri-uncles and aunties doing sub 9mins 2.4km, I then realised that 9.43mins was nowhere fast and so that inspired me to learn to develop my running speed and standard for the 2.4km run. By lowering the IPPT standards thus, are we lowering our expectations of fitness for our service-personnel? Will this also trickle down to our NAPFA standards? 3) this point is related to the previous point. If a test standard is not sufficiently challenging, is it a test standard worth implementing/achieving?
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 08:19:14 +0000
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