1st IPPT Training Corner @ Bukit Purmei

Bangulzai SG

Report by Shereena Sajeed
Photos by Timothy Sim and Sheena Tan

Minister of State for Defence and President of SAFRA Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee (right) interacting with NSmen using the IPPT facility at Hillock Park.

Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) can now look forward to new and improved outdoor physical fitness equipment at selected fitness corners in public housing estates islandwide.

The pilot phase of IPPT-In-Your-Community project, which is spearheaded by SAFRA, will see a total of 10 fitness corners undergo enhancements.

The first IPPT training facility located at Hillock Park in Bukit Purmei estate was officially launched on 3 Mar by Minister of State for Defence and President of SAFRA, Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee.

Also present at the official launch of the enhanced fitness corner, was Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar Town Council, Sam Tan. "I think it is a very good initiative to bring IPPT training facilities to the community, not just for NSmen, but also for the whole community, to allow them the opportunity to exercise and keep fit within the neighbourhood."

Another nine other fitness corners located in five Town Councils, namely, Tanjong Pagar, Tampines, Bishan-Toa Payoh, Sembawang and West Coast will be ready in the next few months.

These selected corners, once enhanced with all four static IPPT stations as well as the demarcated 2.4km route, will make it more convenient for NSmen to keep fit and train for their annual Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT).

The IPPT-In-Your-Community initiative is one of the recommendations, put forth by the Fifth Committee to Recognise the Contribution of Operationally Ready National Servicemen to Total Defence or RECORD V in September 2009.

All the designated fitness corners earmarked in this project, fit the criteria set by the "Fitness Corner for NSmen" committee, made up of 10 volunteer NSmen.

NSmen, (from left) 3SG Muhd Fadly, Lieutenant Noel John Geno-oehlers and CPL Poh Yong Cheng, using the newly-launched standing broad jump facility at Hillock Park.

Its Chairman, Colonel (Volunteer) Chan Chee Pong emphasised that, "Each fitness corner that has been selected to be upgraded, must have at least 250 NSmen living between 5 to 10 minutes or approximately 500 metres from the facility."

One of the IPPT stations that is lacking at most of these existing fitness corners is the shuttle run station.

The first phase of this project will see the fitness corner at Hillock Park, located in the Tanjong Pagar precinct, have a marked area for the shuttle run. Another three static stations, which include standing board jump, chin-up bar and sit-up bench have been added. An enhanced running route with specific markers on the route will also be available so that NSmen can practice their 2.4km runs using this route.

For 28-year-old NSman, Corporal (CPL) Poh Yong Cheng, the 2.4km running track will be the most helpful.

"There are markings along the way so I will know the distance I've covered and monitor my training progress. I think this facility is great because it brings together all the five IPPT stations, for instance, the standing broad jump, shuttle run and sit-up stations. These are some of the workout stations that you don't find at usual workout places like stadiums," he said.

"And it's also near my neighbourhood so it's easy to come here to train for my IPPT."

For others like 3rd Sergeant (3SG) (NS) Muhammad Fadly Bin Asis, 32, who plays football regularly as part of his workout, he hopes this new initiative can help him improve his IPPT standard.

"With my current workout routine, I can get a Silver [award], but maybe with this new facility, I probably can get my Gold [award] again, what I used to get back in those days when I was with the Guards," he told cyberpioneer.

Minister of State for Defence presenting a token of appreciation to one of the representatives from the Town Councils.

The IPPT-In-Your-Community project, saw all five Town Councils working together with the Housing Development Board (HDB). One of them, Sembawang Town Council, has tentatively identified two sites in the precinct to be enhanced. They are located at near Nee Soon Community Park at Block 755 Yishun Street and at Block 114 Yishun Ring Road.

3SG (NS) Tian Zhiyuan, a representative from the Sembawang Town Council who does his reservist with an infantry unit, thinks that the IPPT-in-your-Community project is a good initiative because it helps to reduce the amount of time spent on travelling.

"These new amenities will encourage more NSmen who were previously reluctant to travel far for a workout, to start utilising these nearby IPPT-fitted fitness corners to keep fit and train for their IPPT. I will definitely be checking it out when it is built."

The 10 fitness corners, once enhanced as part of the "IPPT-In-Your-Community" project, will serve at least 3,000 NSmen living nearby in the selected areas.