Why Singaporeans aged 60-plus are learning parkour
‘Geriatric parkour’ has gained a devoted following of senior citizens in Singapore, which is among the world’s fastest-ageing countries
In a corner of suburban Singapore, Betty Boon vaults a guardrail, crawls underneath a slide, executes forward shoulder rolls and scales a steep slope, finishing the course to applause.
“Good job!” the 69-year-old’s coach cheers.
This is “geriatric parkour”, where around 20 retirees learn to tackle a series of relatively demanding exercises, building their agility and enjoying a sense of camaraderie.
Boon, an upbeat grandmother, says learning parkour has aided her confidence and independence as she ages.
“When you’re weak, you will be dependent on someone,” she says after sweating it out with her parkour classmates under the shadow of government-built apartment blocks in suburban Toa Payoh, a planning area and residential town in the northern part of Singapore’s central region.
“I feel more alive. It’s a whole new world.”