Fitness Glossary for Singapore

National Service and school tests: what do the terms mean?

IPPT

Individual Physical Proficiency Test. The annual fitness test for NSmen and NSFs, scored on three stations: push-ups, sit-ups and a 2.4km run. Scores add up to a total that maps to Pass, Silver or Gold, with the thresholds set by MINDEF and published on the NS Portal.

IPPT Gold / Silver / Pass

The three award bands of the IPPT. Each band is a minimum total score, adjusted by age group, and carries a cash award for NSmen. Gold needs the highest total; elite vocations have a higher Gold threshold than the rest. See how to get IPPT Gold and how scoring changes with age. The current numbers live on the NS Portal, not on this site.

RT (Remedial Training)

The training sessions an NSman must attend after failing or not taking the IPPT in his window. RT is scheduled by the unit and counts against personal time, which is why most people would rather pass the test than serve the sessions. Our 8-week pass plan is written for exactly this position.

IPT (IPPT Preparatory Training)

Voluntary sessions an NSman can attend before his IPPT window closes to prepare for the test. Attending a set number of IPT sessions can fulfil the year's IPPT requirement even without a pass, under rules published by MINDEF.

PES

Physical Employment Standard. The medical grading every pre-enlistee receives that decides which vocations and training he is fit for. PES is decided by the SAF medical board, not by fitness level, so training does not change it.

BMT

Basic Military Training, the first phase of National Service. Its length can depend on the pre-enlistee IPPT result: enlistees who meet a set standard before enlisting may serve a shorter BMT, under rules published by MINDEF.

Pre-enlistee IPPT

The IPPT a pre-enlistee can take before enlisting. Meeting a published standard can shorten BMT. It uses the same three stations as the regular IPPT, and pre-enlistment training covers the six months before you go in.

NAPFA

National Physical Fitness Award, the school fitness test run by MOE and Sport Singapore. Five stations (sit-ups, standing broad jump, sit-and-reach, pull-ups or inclined pull-ups, shuttle run) plus a 2.4km run, each graded A to E, with Gold, Silver and Bronze awards for the combined result. Each station has its own page from the NAPFA guide.

Sit-and-reach

The NAPFA flexibility station. You sit with legs straight and reach forward along a measuring box; the distance past your toes is the score. Hamstring and hip flexibility set the result more than back flexibility does. See sit-and-reach.

Standing broad jump

The NAPFA power station. A two-footed jump from standing, measured to the rear heel on landing. Arm swing, hip drive and a stable landing add centimetres; leg strength alone does not. See standing broad jump.

Shuttle run

The NAPFA agility station: 4 by 10 metres, picking up and placing a block at each end. Time is decided by the turns, not straight-line speed. See shuttle run.

Inclined pull-ups

The NAPFA upper-body station for girls and younger boys: pull-ups performed on a low bar with heels on the ground, which reduces the load. Older boys perform standard pull-ups. See pull-ups and sit-ups.

2.4km run

The endurance station shared by IPPT and NAPFA, run on a track or measured route. It carries the largest share of IPPT points, which is why most score gains come from the run.

Training terms: what do the terms mean?

Progressive overload

Gradually increasing what you ask of a muscle over weeks: more weight, more reps, more sets or better form under the same load. It is the mechanism behind getting stronger or building muscle; a session that never progresses maintains rather than builds.

Hypertrophy

An increase in muscle size, driven by resistance training close to fatigue and enough protein. Usually trained in sets of roughly 6 to 20 reps, two or more times a week per muscle group.

Body recomposition

Losing fat and gaining muscle over the same period, so the scale may barely move while clothes fit differently. Most realistic for beginners, people returning after a break, and people with more fat to lose; measured by waist, photos and strength, not weight alone. See body recomposition.

1RM (one-rep max)

The heaviest weight you can lift once with good form. Programmes often prescribe loads as a percentage of 1RM. Beginners and anyone with an injury history should estimate it from a higher-rep set rather than test it directly.

RPE

Rate of Perceived Exertion, a 1 to 10 scale of how hard a set felt. RPE 8 means about two reps were left in the tank. Coaches use it to set load without testing maxes.

Reps in reserve (RIR)

How many more reps you could have done before failing. Two reps in reserve is a common target for beginners and for anyone training around pain, because it keeps form intact.

DOMS

Delayed onset muscle soreness, the stiffness that peaks 24 to 72 hours after unfamiliar exercise. It is normal in the first weeks and fades as you adapt; sharp or one-sided pain is not DOMS and should be checked.

Compound movement

An exercise that uses several joints at once, such as a squat, hinge (deadlift), push, pull, lunge or carry. Coaches build most sessions around these because they train the most muscle per minute.

Hinge

The hip-dominant movement pattern of a deadlift or kettlebell swing: hips travel back, spine stays neutral, hamstrings and glutes do the work. Learning to hinge is the first step in most back-pain programmes.

Bracing

Tensing the trunk muscles before a lift to stabilise the spine, the way you would before someone pushed you. It is not the same as holding your breath hard against a closed throat, which is the Valsalva manoeuvre.

Valsalva manoeuvre

Breathing in and pushing against a closed airway during a heavy lift. It raises blood pressure sharply, so people with hypertension, heart conditions or in pregnancy are coached to breathe out through the effort instead.

Isometric

A contraction where the muscle works without the joint moving, such as a wall sit or plank. Isometrics are useful around painful joints and have evidence for lowering blood pressure when done regularly.

Mobility vs flexibility

Flexibility is how far a joint can be moved passively; mobility is how far you can move it yourself, with control. Training focuses on mobility because it is what you use when you squat, reach or climb stairs.

HIIT

High-intensity interval training: short hard efforts with rests between. Effective for fitness in little time, but hard on joints and recovery when overused, and not the first tool for beginners, seniors or anyone with a cardiac condition.

LISS

Low-intensity steady state cardio, such as a brisk walk or an easy cycle you can hold a conversation through. The easiest cardio to recover from, which is why it suits fat-loss phases and busy weeks.

VO2 max

The most oxygen your body can use per minute during hard exercise, a measure of aerobic fitness. It rises with consistent running or cycling and is the engine behind a faster 2.4km.

Split

How training days are divided across the week, for example full body three times a week, or upper and lower body on alternate days. Beginners usually do best on full-body sessions.

Semi-private / buddy session

One coach, two clients, priced per person at less than the 1-to-1 rate. Both people follow their own programme within the same hour; see couples training.

Small-group training

One coach and three to six clients, usually run as stations, priced per head. The cheapest way to have a coach in the room; less individual correction than 1-to-1.

Session pack

A prepaid block of sessions bought at a discount to the single-session rate. At Fit Titans packs of 10, 15 or 20 sessions take 5%, 10% or 15% off the coach's own rate and do not expire; see what a month costs.

Health and life-stage terms: what do the terms mean?

Diastasis recti

A separation of the two sides of the rectus abdominis along the midline, common late in pregnancy and after birth. It is assessed by a physio or doctor and managed with graded core work; sit-ups and heavy planks are usually delayed until it has narrowed.

Pelvic floor

The muscles across the base of the pelvis that support the bladder, bowel and uterus. Pregnancy and birth load them; leaking, heaviness or pressure during exercise is a sign to see a women's health physio before returning to running or lifting heavy.

Perimenopause

The years before the final period, often starting in the 40s, when oestrogen fluctuates and then falls. Sleep, mood, body composition and recovery change; strength training and protein intake matter more, not less.

Menopause

Twelve months after the final period. Lower oestrogen accelerates muscle and bone loss, which is why resistance training and impact work become the priority for most women in this stage.

Sarcopenia

The age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. It starts in the 30s and speeds up after 60, and is the main reason older adults find stairs, chairs and balance harder. Resistance training is the treatment with the strongest evidence; see fall prevention.

Osteopenia / osteoporosis

Lower than normal bone density; osteoporosis is the more severe stage. Weight-bearing and resistance exercise help maintain bone; heavy spinal flexion and high-impact work are adjusted around a diagnosis.

Prediabetes

Blood sugar higher than normal but below the diabetes threshold, measured by HbA1c or fasting glucose. Regular activity, especially walking after meals and strength training, is part of the standard advice from HPB and MOH.

HbA1c

A blood test that reflects average blood sugar over about three months. Doctors use it to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes and to track whether lifestyle changes are working.

GLP-1 medication

A class of injectable or oral drugs for diabetes and weight loss, such as semaglutide. They reduce appetite; because weight lost on them includes muscle, resistance training and protein intake are commonly advised alongside. They are prescribed and monitored by doctors; see training on a GLP-1.

Bariatric surgery

Weight-loss surgery such as a sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass. Recovery follows a surgeon's timeline; exercise usually starts with walking, then supervised resistance training to protect muscle as weight comes off quickly.

Medical clearance

Written or verbal confirmation from your doctor or physiotherapist that you can exercise, often with limits. Coaches work inside that clearance; they do not diagnose or override it.

Corrective exercise

Exercise chosen to improve how a joint moves or how a movement is performed, often after injury or with posture complaints. It sits between physiotherapy and general training and is delivered within a clearance.

Singapore places and rules: what do the terms mean?

HDB flat

Public housing built by the Housing and Development Board, where most Singaporeans live. Flats are described by room count (3-room, 4-room, 5-room). Living rooms are often the training space; floors are usually tile, so a mat and downstairs-neighbour awareness matter.

Condo gym

The shared gym in a private condominium, run by the building's management. Equipment ranges from a treadmill and a few dumbbells to a full rack. Access rules for outside trainers are set by the MCST.

MCST

Management Corporation Strata Title, the body that manages a condominium's common property. Its by-laws decide whether residents may bring a personal trainer into the condo gym, whether the trainer must register, and any guest fees.

Void deck

The open ground floor of an HDB block, sheltered from rain and sun. A common place for bodyweight and band sessions when there is no gym; etiquette is to stay clear of walkways and lift lobbies.

Park connector

The network of paths linking Singapore's parks, managed by NParks. Flat, lit and long enough for running and walking intervals, and usable in the early morning before the heat.

ActiveSG

Sport Singapore's network of public gyms, pools and sports halls. Entry is paid per visit or by membership, and each facility has its own rules on outside coaches.

SAFRA

Clubs for NSmen and their families, several of which have gyms (EnergyOne). Membership-based, with their own house rules on outside trainers.

Gym pod

A small, privately bookable gym unit rented by the hour, found in some estates and offices. Because you book the whole space, bringing your own coach is usually straightforward.

Hawker centre

Open-air food centres selling cooked food at low prices. Most Singaporeans eat several meals a week at one, so fat-loss and muscle-gain plans here are built around hawker choices rather than home cooking.

Kopi / teh

Local coffee and tea, sold sweetened with condensed milk by default. Ordering 'kosong' (no sugar) or 'siew dai' (less sugar) is one of the easiest calorie changes in a Singapore diet.

HPB

Health Promotion Board, the government agency behind Singapore's public health guidance, including physical activity recommendations and the national effort on diabetes.

Certifications you will see on profiles: what do the terms mean?

NCSF

National Council on Strength and Fitness, a US certifying body. The most common personal-trainer certification on the Fit Titans roster.

ACE

American Council on Exercise, a US certifying body for personal trainers, with specialist add-ons such as Senior Fitness Specialist.

NASM

National Academy of Sports Medicine, a US certifying body known for its corrective-exercise model.

NSCA

National Strength and Conditioning Association, a US body whose CSCS credential focuses on athletic strength and conditioning.

ACSM

American College of Sports Medicine, a US body that publishes exercise guidelines and certifies trainers and exercise physiologists.

WSQ fitness certification

Singapore's Workforce Skills Qualifications pathway for fitness instructors, delivered by Sport Singapore-recognised providers. A local, government-backed route into the profession.

First aid / CPR

Current first-aid and CPR certification, which we check for coaches training in homes and outdoors where no gym staff are present.