SINGAPORE, March 30 — In a corner of suburban Singapore, Betty Boon vaults a guardrail, crawls underneath a slide, executes forward shoulder rolls and scales a steep slope,...
Diesel prices up? Time to leverage Malaysia’s palm oil as biodiesel savings could hit 20 sen per litre, says former minister While you slept: Yemen joins US-Israel-Iran war, US troops on ground in Middle East, Lebanese journos and rescuers killed, Iranian universities destroyedThis photograph taken on March 17, 2026 shows Singapore an elders taking part in a parkour training session in Singapore .
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. — AFP picand enjoy FREE RM10 & when you sign up using code VERSAMM10 with min. cash of RM100 today! T&Cs apply.SINGAPORE, March 30 — 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.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.This photograph taken on March 17, 2026 shows Singaporean elders warming up before a parkour training session in Singapore. — AFP pic 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 per cent.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.This photograph taken on March 17, 2026 shows coach Tan Shie Boon guiding Singaporean elders during a parkour training session in Singapore. Parkour, a discipline that originated in France, focuses on overcoming physical obstacles like walls, gaps and platforms without any aid. — AFP picParkour, 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.But thanks to her training, she managed to jump over the mess, remain on her feet and escape unharmed.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.” This photograph taken on March 17, 2026 shows Singaporean elders taking part in a parkour training session in Singapore. The discipline has gained a devoted following of senior citizens in the city-state, which is among the world’s fastest-ageing countries. — AFP picAt 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.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.“Since then, I became like the favourite grandmother. The children recognise me even when I’m far away,” she said. — AFP ‘Elon Musk needed her money’, but police put an end to it: How Singapore is stopping scammers preying on vulnerable adults
Betty Boon Geriatric Parkour Toa Payoh Tan Shie Boon Super-Aged Nation
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