SINGAPORE, (AFP) — 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 learned to tackle a series of relatively demanding exercises, building their agility and enjoying a sense of camaraderie.
Boon, an upbeat grandmother, said learning parkour has aided her confidence and independence as she ages.
“When you’re weak, you will be dependent on someone,” she told Agence France-Presse after sweating it out with her parkour classmates in suburban Toa Payoh, under the shadow of government-built apartment blocks.
“I feel more alive, it’s a whole new world.”
The discipline has gained a devoted following of senior citizens in the city-state, which is among the world’s fastest-aging countries.
Coach Tan Shie Boon, 33, said he was initially met with skepticism when he started offering parkour classes for older students in 2017, especially due to the risk of injury.
But his idea was to share maneuvers that could help seniors with their balance, stamina and coordination.
“It’s meaningful, I can see the impact of my work,” he said.
Parkour, a discipline that originated in France, focuses on overcoming physical obstacles like walls, gaps and platforms without any aid.
Often called the “art of displacement,” it involves running, jumping, climbing, rolling and vaulting to quickly dart from one point to another.
The activity has a young, athletic following, but coach Tan and his students insist it can be suitable for every age.