Geriatric parkour: Can Singapore’s latest fitness trend work for India’s ageing population?

Geriatic parkour caters to senior citizens in their 60s and 70s is making waves in Singapore because this new type of parkour has been created for the elderly, allowing them to enhance their sense of coordination and confidence while being able to move around in a more controlled way, contrary to the extreme forms of parkour practiced among young people.

How geriatric parkour is reshaping senior fitness in Singapore and beyond?

Tan Shie Boon, a geriatic parkour coach, has been teaching this physical activity to the senior citizens of Singapore for almost a decade. According to him, there has been a recent increase in interest among seniors in learning about Parkour, which was previously not the case. It involves practicing safe movements in preparation for unexpected instability in the real world.

These involve stepping over objects, enhancing balance while on an uneven surface, falling safely, and getting back up without being hurt. The aim is to foster confidence while moving around and decrease the fear of falling.

This technique utilizes functional movement patterns similar to those used in parkour but without the actual parkour activity. It is meant to be safe for senior citizens and incorporates aspects of medical supervision. Coaches usually initiate the class outside to help individuals establish confidence in their movement skills.

Despite offering protection, mats have been found to be overuseable, thus creating hesitancy and lack of confidence in other areas. The major objective of training is through the 2 Cs approach. These are confidence and consistency. Consistency keeps the seniors mobile while confidence ensures that seniors trust their bodies when moving.

India too has examples of something similar in its history. The conventional systems of dand-baithak, mallakhamb, and akhada have always stressed upon functional strength, stability, and healing. But the practice and philosophy behind the methods have been fading out with time. According to experts, by engaging in a similar kind of movement-oriented training early on in life, specifically for Generation Z and millennials, the strength of bones and resilience can be enhanced.

In  India, where fall injuries among the elderly population are increasing, such programs have become more appreciated. This geriatic parkour trend is also an indicator that the elderly have progressed from mere step counting to functional fitness.

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