Parkour helps Singapore’s elderly boost agility, strength
A coach has gotten millions of views on social media by using parkour techniques to teach the elderly things such as better balance.
Singapore's parkour coach is using the extreme sport to improve the balance, strength and agility of the city's rapidly aging population, drawing widespread social media attention. With more than a fifth of Singapore's 6.1 million residents aged 65 or older, the nation faces the challenge of keeping its seniors healthy as life expectancy continues to rise, reaching the "super-aged" status in 2025.
Betty Boon, a 69-year-old retiree, found herself able to carry her own luggage up steep stairs in Japanese train stations after three years of parkour classes, a feat she credits to the newfound confidence the sport provided. She also appreciated the social aspect, noting that the classes allowed her to stay connected with friends while improving her physical condition.
Parkour coach Tan Shie Boon, who founded Movement Singapore in November 2017, cites the improvement of balance as the main benefit of the discipline for the elderly. He recounts the case of a 64-year-old woman who ditched her support trolley and walked unaided within two months of practice. Tan believes the contrast between the sport's image and the age of its participants has fueled public interest sparked by the viral success of Movement Singapore's Instagram page.
He encourages students to prove to themselves that they can achieve more than they believe possible despite the sport's reputation for being very risky.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
