AL HAYAT - Let's get physical: Singapore's seniors turn to parkour

"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 AFP 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-ageing countries.

Singapore is projected to become a "super-aged" nation this year, meaning the proportion of residents aged 65 and above exceeds 21 percent.

By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above, according to the health ministry.

As the society greys, various activities and industries have mushroomed up to cater to seniors' needs, including social activities and group exercise classes.

Coach Tan Shie Boon, 33, said he was initially met with scepticism when he started offering parkour classes for older students in 2017, especially due to the risk of injury.

But his idea was to share manoeuvres that could help seniors with their balance, stamina and coordination.

"It's meaningful, I can see the impact of my work," he said.

- Not just for youngsters -

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.

"When people hear the word parkour, they think it's only for youngsters who can jump from rooftops," said retired banker and parkour enthusiast Irene Chuah, 67. "We don't do that. We jump over benches."

Tan, who specialises in coaching senior citizens in his classes across Singapore, tailors all the stunts to match the capabilities of his students, aged between their early 50s to 83.

"The whole point of parkour is to improve your agility ... you'll be faster in your reaction," he said.

"When seniors fall, they get severely injured because they have a lack of coordination, balance and agility. They're not fast enough to react in time," he added.

Chuah experienced firsthand how the moves she learned in parkour class can apply outside of practice.

When a trolley she was pushing at a supermarket hit an obstacle, it overturned and pulled her over.

But thanks to her training, she managed to jump over the mess, remain on her feet and escape unharmed.

"Nobody helped me because the people thought I was young," Chuah told AFP with a laugh.

Retired kindergarten teacher Ling Ying Ying, 66, said doing parkour helped her to be able to mop the floor on her knees "like we used to do when we were young."

- 'Dare to do' -

At the fitness space in Toa Payoh, the parkour students also practised traversing down an incline and scaling a low wall during the 90-minute session.

A couple of students jumped over a gap after some encouragement.

Life after retirement used to be "quite dull", Chuah said.

"After parkour, I can go line dancing, and I can remember the steps. You dare to do a lot of things that you think only young people can do," she added.

Her classmate Boon said one time she brought her grandchildren to a neighbourhood playground and taught them to jump onto a platform and do forward rolls.

When she looked back, she saw a line of other children wanting to try the moves.

"Since then, I became like the favourite grandmother. The children recognise me even when I'm far away," she said.

V.Sahli--al-Hayat