The major problem areas in IPPT seem to be the 2.4km run and chin up tests. However, I will cover all 5 stations. The recommended exercises will be generally effective for improvements to be made. Make no mistake about it, it will depend on the current state of fitness of the individual, the commitment and effort put in training and the time available to prepare for IPPT.
SIT UP
If you are able to sit up a few repetitions without difficulty, all you will need to do is to practise sit ups regularly and increase the number of repetitions progressively till you are able to do the required number to pass the test. If you experience problems in even doing a few, you will need to build up your abdominal strength in your training.
Do crunches and leg raises. In addition, do sit-backs. It is actually a reverse of the sit up. From a sit up position, lower your upper body slowly to the halfway point and hold this position for a few moments. Most likely, vibrations in the muscles of the abdominal region will be felt with discomfort. Then let the upper body go all the way to the floor and rest for a while. Repeat the exercise several times.
STANDING BROAD JUMP
This test requires good muscular power of the legs. In other words, in addition to building up strength, training to develop speed in executing the jump is equally important. To be effective, plyometric or hopping exercises must be done in addition to squats or leg press exercises.
Double-Leg Hops. Squat down and jump as far as possible. Immediately upon landing, jump forward again. Use quick, double-arm swings and keep the landings short. Do about 5 jumps in a row for each set, about 3-5 sets per training session. One precaution to take is to ensure that the knees are not less than 90 degrees bent in the landing position and prior to taking off.
Tuck Jumps. Do no more than 5 jumps in a fast, regular rhythm, about 3-5 sets. Possibly, try bringing
your knees or the front of your thighs to touch your chest. Stand upright with feet nearly together. Then jump upwards as high as possible.
CHIN-UPS
This is the test that tends to give the most trouble. Often, the strength:body weight ratio is lop-sided.
Individuals who are obese or with larger than normal body weight, will need to get rid of the excess weight in order to improve chin up performance. This can be achieved with aerobic exercise and proper dieting. Chin-ups must be practised regularly to achieve improvements. The prime movers in this exercise are the latissimus dorsi (commonly known as the "wings" or laterals) and biceps. The recommended weight training exercises are lats pulldown and bicep curls. The specific chin-up exercises are as prescribe below. Always begin with the most difficult one and work down to the easiest. As the bicep muscles are primarily involved in the chin up exercise, the underhand or supinated grasp (palming facing the body) is the stronger of the two handgrasps, the other being the pronated grip (palms facing away from the body).
Partner-Assisted. Assume chin-up position and perform as many correct chin-ups as possible until muscle fatigue. When you cannot perform any more correct chin-ups, get a partner to assist you up until a repetition is completed. Your partner will then let go and you will lower yourself down slowly at a four-count cadence. Repeat the procedure until you are unable to hold on to the bar or lower yourself in a controlled manner.
Chair or Step-Assisted. Stand on a stable stool, chair or bench and jump up until chin is above the bar. Bend your knees and lower yourself at a 4-count cadence. When the arms are fully extended, place your feet on the bench and repeat procedure until muscle failure or when you are unable to lower yourself in a controlled manner.
Behind the neck. Hang on to the bar with your hands further apart than the width of your shoulders. Pull yourself upwards till the base of your neck touches the bar. Repeat the exercise until muscle failure.
The Hang. Get into the chin-up starting position and hang on to the bar until it is no longer possible to continue gripping the bar. Time your hang as increasing "hanging" time is indicative of better grip strength and endurance.
Inclined Chin-up. In this exercise, the chin-up is done using a low bar set at about mid-chest level. Grip the bar and slide feet under the bar with body straight, arms and body forming a right angle. The weight should rest on the heels of the feet. Execute chin-up with a straight body until fatigue.
Flexed-Arm Hang. Get into the chin-up position, i.e. with chin at or above bar. Hang on for as long as you can. Time your hang to monitor progress.
4X10M SHUTTLE RUN
Repetitive agility runs over short distances will help to develop your speed, agility and co-ordination. You should concentrate on your acceleration and the way you change direction. With practice, you will develop the right technique, which will help you to clock better times. The same exercises that help you to leap further in the standing broad jump will also give your legs that extra burst of speed in the shuttle run.
2.4KM RUN
To prepare for your 2.4km run, you should combine steady longer distance runs with interval training. What's interval training? You run a series of shorter distances at a faster pace, take twice the time of each run to recover by walking or jogging slowly, and then start another fast run again. Do 4-6 repetitions at each session. Physiologically, interval training will build up your body's ability to clear away the lactic acid that accumulates in your muscles during vigorous exercise. This means that you can run further and faster without getting muscle aches and fatigue prematurely. This is a very effective training method as it helps to build up speed-endurance, which will enable you to sustain a faster-pace continuous run over 2.4km. If you have not been exercising regularly or have laid off exercise for a considerable length of time, I would suggest you give yourself at least 12 weeks to progressively prepare for the test.
