Update 23 July,1230Hrs:

Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen announced on his Facebook that the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) for National Servicemen will be reduced from the current five stations to just three: A 2.4km run, sit-ups and push-ups. He said that the new test system will not require NSmen to pass every station. 

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A media article in October last year on the possible changes to the Individual Physical Proficient Test (IPPT) was swiftly dismissed by the Singapore Armed Force (SAF).

In the article, it stated that the IPPT changes include the scrapping of the standing broad jump; the addition of push-ups; and the increased running distance from 2.4km run to 3.2km.

The SAF said on its Facebook page yesterday that there had been no decision to change the current IPPT system, adding that SAF "constantly review" their training system to "ensure that they are relevant and effective".

Since the SAF is still reviewing the IPPT changes, here are six new IPPT stations to target our soldiers' fitness, endurance and agility.

1. The Test: Clock 100 mouse clicks a minute

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Helps soldiers: To be trigger-happy.

2. The Test: Text "I love MINDEF" in 5 seconds without looking.

Source: Your physical fitness instructor is Kimberly Teo, who set the world record in 2004 for texting 26 words in 43.24 seconds.

Helps soldiers: To develop your nightblindness skills in the dark.

3. The Test: Standing at one position on the moving train for 10 minutes.

Helps soldiers: To hone your camouflaged skills in the jungle by training your balance.

4. The Test: Wait for the bus for 5 minutes without checking the phone. 

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Helps soldiers: To practise our communications security when SingTel, Starhub and M1 are down.

5. The Test: Participate in a long queue for 30 minutes.

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Helps soldiers: So that you can patiently wait for an ambush of an enemy during war.

6. The Test: Beer-drinking competition.

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Helps soldiers: Gulp better during water parade. Safety is of paramount importance to SAF. You must have the skills to drink lots of water fast so that you will not get dehydrated.

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Top photo from Flickr.

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