S'pore aunties do parkour regularly to improve physical & mental health

They don't really fly and leap around town, but it's more like faster taichi.

Guan Zhen Tan | January 11, 2018, 04:44 PM

Meet these aunties, Kimm and Ann, who are 58 and 64 years old respectively.

While most women their age are probably satisfied with taichi lessons, these two took up parkour instead.

They do not leap from great heights or scale walls though, as what they are doing is almost like faster taichi.

Screenshot via MOVE Academy Singapore's Facebook post

Defensive exercise

Many might think that parkour is way too strenuous for older folks. And they are right.

Because what Kimm and Ann actually do is perhaps closer to strengthening exercises that help improve balance and hand-eye coordination, which keeps them healthy and active.

But that hasn't stopped others from chiding their parkour coach from MOVE academy for "torturing" them into doing free running, which is another name for parkour.

Doing parkour after a fall

For Ann's case, Parkour has improved her balance.

Before she started, she found herself falling easily and injuring herself as a result.

She had to rely on a trolley for support.

Once she started on parkour, though, her balance improved and she became more nimble.

Parkour equipped her to be more physically and mentally prepared, which in her case is to pursue her dream of teaching kids how to draw.

Screenshot via MOVE Academy Singapore's Facebook post

Screenshot via MOVE Academy Singapore's Facebook post

Kimm also said she now has a better impression of parkour since she took it up personally.

From what she has learnt, parkour advocates the prevention of injuries, such as teaching practitioners how to safely land to break their fall to protect their bodies -- a good thing for the elderly to follow.

For Kimm and Ann, high-speed sprints, flips and barrel-rolling are not feasible, but slow and steady exercises -- think faster-paced taichi -- helps emphasise balance and movement.

Screenshot via MOVE Academy Singapore's Facebook post

Screenshot via MOVE Academy Singapore's Facebook post

Over time, the duo have become nimble and agile for their age, along with feeling better mentally and spiritually.

The video ends with Ann pushing away the trolley she used to rely on, and happily skipping to pick up her bag and walking on confidently without aid.

Screenshot via MOVE Academy Singapore's Facebook page

That in itself is probably better than any crazy leap and jump for Ann.

You can watch the video here:

Top image via MOVE Academy Singapore's Facebook post