'Mum did more push-ups than his platoon': Family decides to bond by attempting IPPT test together

A family that works out together stays together, they say — and for one family, this saying has never rung truer.

Hannah Sheehy took to TikTok on Aug 31 to share her family's attempt at the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT).

@cheekysheehy Trying the IPPT test in Singapore’s national service #ahboystomen #nationalservice #singapore #armyfitnesstest #ippt ♬ original sound - Hannah Sheehy

At the start of the 91-second clip, Hannah shared: "My brother has recently enlisted in the army, and our entire family is gearing up to take on the same fitness test that he'll be undergoing."

The IPPT is a fitness assessment for national servicemen in Singapore that includes three exercises: push-ups, sit-ups and a 2.4-km run.

Depending on your performance, you can either pass or fail the IPPT.

So, how did Hannah's family fare?

They began with the push-up portion of the test.

Surprisingly, her mum impressed everyone by completing 37 push-ups in under a minute.

"Mum did more push-ups than her brother's platoon," Hannah mentioned.

Her dad, however, struggled a bit, while her brother managed to perform the push-ups smoothly. They also completed the other two tests, sit-ups and the 2.4km run.

In the end, Hannah revealed that she and her dad passed the IPPT, while her mother, despite her impressive push-up performance, unfortunately did not make the cut.

Netizens' reactions

In the comments section, one netizen pointed out that despite the fact that the mother did not maintain proper form during the push-ups, her attempt was still impressive, especially considering her age.

Others have pointed out how the IPPT has gotten easier over the years with the removal of three other stations: standing broad jump, shuttle run and pull-ups.

Tips on how to ace IPPT

In March, customer relations manager and avid community runner Melissa Foo headed to the National Stadium in Kallang and asked her friends (who are professional runners) for their tips on how to ace the IPPT.

The first piece of advice comes from local triathlete Aldrich who runs 10km in 35 minutes. He mentioned that "mileage is important" so you should get yourself accustomed to easy long runs.

His recommendation is to run five to eight kilometres at least three times a week.

Melissa then interviewed her friend Chris, who was previously from Nanyang Technological University's track and field. Chris is adamant that consistent running is key.

READ ALSO: 'Run slow to run fast': Woman shares tips to kickstart your running journey

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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