IPPT6 min read · Updated
Old IPPT: The 5 Stations, How It Was Scored and What Changed
The short answer
The old IPPT had five stations: sit-ups, standing broad jump, chin-ups, a shuttle run and the 2.4km run.
- Each station had its own passing score, so one weak station failed the test.
- The SAF replaced it on 1 April 2015 with three stations: push-ups and sit-ups worth up to 25 points each and the 2.4km run worth up to 50, added into one total.
- NSmen pass at 51 points today, NSFs and Regulars at 61.
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Written by the Fit Titans coaching team. Edited by Theon. How we write guides
The old IPPT had five stations and you needed a passing score at each one.
Since 1 April 2015 the SAF has used a three-station test scored out of 100 points. This page sets the two side by side, gives MINDEF's reasons for the change and shows what a five-station veteran should train differently now.
On this page (9)
- 1. What were the 5 stations of the old IPPT?
- 2. How was the old IPPT scored and passed?
- 3. Old IPPT vs new IPPT: what is different?
- 4. When did the IPPT change to 3 stations?
- 5. Why did MINDEF change the IPPT?
- 6. Can you convert an old IPPT score to today's points?
- 7. How is the IPPT scored today?
- 8. What should a 5-station veteran train differently?
- 9. Can a personal trainer help you retrain for the 3-station IPPT?
Key facts
- New IPPT from 1 April 2015: push-ups, sit-ups and 2.4km, scored out of 100
- NSmen could keep taking the 5-station test for one year from 1 April 2015
- Age groups went from 5-year bands to 3-year bands
What were the 5 stations of the old IPPT?
Sit-ups, standing broad jump, chin-ups, a shuttle run and the 2.4km run. Pioneer, MINDEF's magazine, listed them in 2012 as the 2.4km run, shuttle run, chin-up, standing broad jump and sit-up stations.
| Old station | What it tested | Still in today's IPPT? |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-ups | Core endurance | Yes |
| Standing broad jump | Leg power | No |
| Chin-ups | Pulling strength | No |
| Shuttle run | Speed and agility | No |
| 2.4km run | Aerobic fitness | Yes |
How was the old IPPT scored and passed?
Station by station. Each station had its own passing score, so a strong run could not make up for too few chin-ups. Pioneer put the change this way in September 2014: the new award comes from the total score from the 3 stations, as opposed to a passing score for each station. The old test also used 5-year age bands, per MINDEF's July 2014 release.
We have not published the old points tables or the old Gold and Silver cut-offs. We could not find them in an official MINDEF or National Archives source, and copies on forums and blogs cannot be checked. If you need your old result, your unit or the NS Portal is the record.
Old IPPT vs new IPPT: what is different?
Two fewer stations, push-ups added, and one points total instead of a pass at every station. The run carries half the score in the new test.
| Old IPPT (to 2015) | New IPPT (from 1 April 2015) | |
|---|---|---|
| Stations | 5: sit-ups, standing broad jump, chin-ups, shuttle run, 2.4km | 3: push-ups, sit-ups, 2.4km |
| How you pass | A passing score at each station | A points total, with a minimum score at each station |
| Points | Not published here | 100 in all: 25 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, 50 run |
| Age groups | 5-year bands | 3-year bands, 14 groups |
| Kit needed to train | Chin-up bar and space to jump | None beyond a floor and a route |
| Make up a weak station? | No | Yes, up to a limit |
Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said soldiers could make up through more sit-ups if they were weak in push-ups or running, and added that there is a limit to how much you can make up (Pioneer, September 2014). The limit is the minimum score at each station: a 0 anywhere still fails.
When did the IPPT change to 3 stations?
On 1 April 2015 across the SAF, after a pilot in late 2014. NSmen got a year of overlap.
- 24 July 2014AnnouncedMINDEF announced a simpler three-station format and a new points system in its news release.
- September to November 2014PilotThe Army piloted the new test in selected Active and NS units, with at least 3,000 servicemen and servicewomen taking part.
- 27 February 2015Final standardsMINDEF confirmed the points system and the award standards after the pilot, in its February 2015 release.
- 1 April 2015New IPPT startsThe SAF switched to the three-station IPPT.
- 1 April 2015 to 2016Overlap yearNSmen could keep taking the five-station format for one year from 1 April 2015, or try the new one.
Why did MINDEF change the IPPT?
To make the test simpler to train for on your own. These are the reasons MINDEF and the Army gave in July 2014, in February 2015 and in Pioneer:
Old 5-station test
- Kit: a chin-up bar and space to jump
- A passing score at each station
- 5-year age bands
New 3-station test
- No special kit or technique: push-ups, sit-ups and a run can be trained anywhere, without specialised equipment
- Reward effort: points at each station reward doing better, and let servicemen play to their strengths
- Fairer by age: 3-year age bands match standards to age more closely than 5-year bands
The SAF also reviews its physical training and fitness tests to keep them relevant and effective, and had already revised its combat fitness regime. MINDEF called fitness a personal responsibility and wanted servicemen to build these exercises into their daily routine.
Can you convert an old IPPT score to today's points?
No. The stations are different and we found no official conversion between the two tests.
- 01Drop the old numbersYour chin-ups and broad jump have no place in today's score.
- 02Take three fresh resultsA push-up count, a sit-up count and a 2.4km time.
- 03Use the IPPT calculatorPut them into the IPPT calculator for your points and award today.
How is the IPPT scored today?
Out of 100, from your own age group's table, with the run worth half. You need at least 1 point at each station for any award. The current award totals are below, and the full tables by age are in IPPT score by age.
| Award | NSmen | NSFs and Regulars |
|---|---|---|
| Pass | 51 or more | 61 or more |
| Pass with Incentive | 61 or more | Not applicable |
| Silver | 75 or more | 75 or more |
| Gold | 85 or more | 85 or more |
| Gold (Commando, Guards, Diver) | 90 or more | 90 or more |
What each award pays NSmen is in the IPPT incentive award guide, and the higher Gold line for elite vocations is in Commando IPPT standards.
What should a 5-station veteran train differently?
Train the run first, add push-ups, and stop practising the stations that left. Under 22, cutting a 2.4km from 13:00 to 12:00 is worth 6 points. Under 22 you need 15 push-ups for the first point, so a man who never trained them can score 0 and fail.
| Old habit | What to do now | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Chin-up practice | Keep some pulling for shoulder balance | Chin-ups score nothing now |
| Broad jump and shuttle drills | Drop them as test practice | Neither station is tested |
| Sit-ups | Keep them, in one-minute sets | 60 reps earn the full 25 |
| No push-up work | Add push-up sessions to your week | 60 reps earn the full 25, 40 earn 20 |
| Run as one station of five | Make the 2.4km the centre of the plan | Up to 50 points, full marks at 8:30 or faster |
The run sessions are in the IPPT 2.4km run guide. If your window is close, start with how to pass IPPT in 8 weeks, and if you want the top award, how to get IPPT Gold.
Can a personal trainer help you retrain for the 3-station IPPT?
Yes. A coach times all three stations in the first session, reads them against your age group and builds the plan around the points you can gain soonest. Coaches set their own rates, from S$50 a session. The first session is a paid trial at 10% off the coach's rate, training after that comes in packs from 5 sessions, and an enquiry does not book or charge a session.
- 01WhereYour home, your condo gym, a park or a gym that allows outside trainers.
- 02What to tell usYour age group, your last push-up, sit-up and 2.4km numbers and when your window closes.
- 03More on IPPT coachingSee IPPT and NAPFA training.
Questions about old 5-station IPPT
Did the old IPPT have push-ups?
No. Push-ups came in with the three-station test on 1 April 2015, when chin-ups, the standing broad jump and the shuttle run were dropped. Under 22 you need 15 push-ups for the first point, so a veteran who never trained them can score 0 and fail.
How did the old IPPT scoring system work?
Each station had its own passing score, and you had to clear every station to pass. Today's test adds points from three stations into one total out of 100. We have not published the old points tables because we could not find them in an official source.
When did the IPPT change from 5 stations to 3?
On 1 April 2015, after MINDEF announced it on 24 July 2014 and piloted it from September to November 2014. NSmen could keep taking the five-station test for one year from 1 April 2015.
Why were chin-ups and the standing broad jump removed?
MINDEF wanted a simpler test that servicemen can train for on their own, without specialised technique or equipment, so they take ownership of their fitness. Push-ups were added in their place.
Can I still take the 5-station IPPT?
No. The overlap year for NSmen ran from 1 April 2015, and the IPPT has been the three-station test since then. Use the IPPT calculator to see what today's numbers score.
About this guide
Published
Sources (6) and terms used
Terms used
- IPPT:
- Individual Physical Proficiency Test.
- 2.4km run:
- The endurance station shared by IPPT and NAPFA, run on a track or measured route.
- Standing broad jump:
- The NAPFA power station.
- Shuttle run:
- The NAPFA agility station: 4 by 10 metres, picking up and placing a block at each end.
Sources
- New IPPT Format and Scoring System, 24 Jul 2014 (checked 7 Nov 2026) · MINDEF
- New IPPT Format and Scoring System, 24 Jul 2014, archived release PDF (checked 7 Nov 2026) · National Archives of Singapore
- New IPPT motivates SAF servicemen to do well and keep fit, 27 Feb 2015 (checked 7 Nov 2026) · MINDEF
- Getting fit and healthy through IPT, 7 Nov 2012: the five old stations (checked 7 Nov 2026) · Pioneer / MINDEF
- New three-station fitness test for SAF in April 2015, 24 Jul 2014 (checked 7 Nov 2026) · Pioneer / MINDEF
- All-new IPPT, 1 Sep 2014: total score vs a passing score for each station (checked 7 Nov 2026) · Pioneer / MINDEF
General information, not medical advice.
