The sound of a whistle cuts through the air. Slowly, one by one, seniors begin stepping into the pool at Delta Swimming Complex.
Some grip the railings carefully, easing themselves into the water. Others wade in with confidence. Before long, the pool comes alive with arms gliding through the water and legs moving gently beneath the ripples.
Then, laughter follows.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
At the centre of it all is Yu Poh Leng, who leads the class through a series of aqua fitness exercises, gently guiding them along as they grow more comfortable in the water.
“There are some classes where suddenly the seniors become like little kids,” she told MS News with a laugh, recalling how a simple instruction to move their arms through the water once turned into a playful exchange. “They end up splashing water at me!”
It’s moments like these remind her why she started the programme in the first place.
Madam Yu, 60, is the founder of the 60-for-60 Aqua Fitness Project, a citizen-led initiative that encourages seniors to stay active through water-based exercise.
And it all began with a birthday.
“Last year, I turned 60, and, as you know, 60 is a big milestone,” she shared.
While many might choose to mark the occasion with extravagant celebrations, Madam Yu found herself wanting something more meaningful. “I didn’t want to have a big bash. I wanted something different.”
So instead, she started the aqua fitness programme.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
The concept was simple but powerful.
Water exercise, Madam Yu explained, allows older adults to stay active without putting strain on their joints as it is gentle and low-impact, unlike many land-based workouts.
“It is actually very good for seniors,” she said. “If they exercise in a pool, it helps them to ease the pain.”
But beyond the physical benefits, she believes the water offers something just as important: a sense of ease and enjoyment.
“It’s also a fun exercise, and water serves as a form of therapy for them,” she shared.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
For Madam Yu, the water has long been a familiar space. She worked as a lifeguard during her university days and later picked up scuba diving, making water sports a natural part of her life.
Years later, she discovered aqua aerobics classes in Singapore and was immediately drawn to them.
“I joined the classes, and I thought, hey, why not become an instructor?” she recalled.
She went on to get certified. But just as she was preparing to begin teaching, life took an unexpected turn: she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
The next two years were spent focusing on treatment and recovery. “I spent 2019 and 2020 doing my treatment, recuperation and all that.”
During rehabilitation, a physiotherapist suggested returning to water exercise, pointing out that it can help with blood and limb circulation.
So she returned to the pool. This time, not as an instructor, but as a learner. “I became my very, very first student.”
Slowly, step by step, she rebuilt her strength, and that’s how she got back to health.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
The experience also shifted her perspective on life. While she admitted to neglecting her health in her 40s and 50s, her diagnosis became a wake-up call and turning point.
“It hit upon me that there’s more meaning to life than just working,” she said.
Surviving the illness gave her a renewed sense of purpose. “I’m very thankful that I’m given a second chance to live again.”
And she knew she wanted to use that second chance to make a difference.
Picture courtesy of Ms Yu Poh Leng
Back in the pool, Madam Yu often witnesses small transformations unfolding over the course of each session as participants who arrive cautiously gradually begin to relax, laugh, and move more freely in the water.
“If you give them the chance, they’ll forget about their pain,” she said.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
While some might assume that older adults tend to play it safe, her classes have consistently shown otherwise, revealing a side of them that is far more open to trying new things.
They actually do want to have fun. They actually do want to take risks!
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
One participant in particular, an 85-year-old stroke survivor, left a lasting impression on her.
The woman could not swim and had not entered a pool for decades. “So when she got into the pool, it was the first time after 40 or 50 years.”
During one session, the woman developed cramps and had to step out of the water. Yet even from the sidelines, she continued watching the class, and as she did, something began to shift.
“I think she felt a bit FOMO (fear of missing out) because everyone was having fun in the pool,” Madam Yu said.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
Perhaps encouraged by that feeling, she eventually made her way back into the pool and resumed the exercise alongside the rest of the group.
For Madam Yu, it’s these small, personal moments that capture what the programme is truly about.
The project itself began with a leap of faith.
One afternoon, after coming across funding opportunities for citizen-led initiatives, Madam Yu decided to submit a proposal online without thinking too much about the outcome, and without even mentioning it to her husband.
Then came a reply she did not expect. “Lo and behold, the Singapore Government Partnerships Office (SGPO) replied!”
Launched in 2024, SGPO was set up to strengthen partnerships between the government and citizens, supporting ground-up ideas and initiatives that help shape communities and bring people together.
Source: Singapore Government Partnerships Office
From there, support gradually began to build, opening doors to resources and spaces that allowed the programme to take shape, including venue support at Delta Swimming Complex for her classes.
The project also received funding to help cover essentials such as swimming and fitness gear for participating seniors.
With this backing, Madam Yu expanded the 60-for-60 project beyond just an idea, creating 30 short aqua fitness videos to promote accessible exercise, while also conducting classes for seniors, including those from Fei Yue Active Ageing Centre.
The initiative eventually culminated in a finale session in September 2025, where more than 70 seniors gathered for a mass aqua fitness class.
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
Since then, the programme has continued beyond the initial project, with Madam Yu now running regular sessions as an ActiveSG coach, allowing more seniors to take part with subsidised rates and even use their ActiveSG credits.
Looking back, she still finds the experience both surprising and deeply encouraging.
They believed in the 60-year-old auntie with this hairy idea!
Image courtesy of Yu Poh Leng
Through it all, the project has come to represent something larger than exercise alone.
For Madam Yu, it’s about gently shifting how ageing is viewed, both by seniors themselves and by those around them.
“Active ageing is more than just a catchphrase,” she said, emphasising that it isn’t just about how long people live, but how well they are able to live.
It’s not just lifespan. It’s also health span.
At the same time, she recognises that many seniors are held back not only by physical limitations, but also by the expectations placed on them.
“You’re too old. You cannot get into the pool,” she said, echoing a common hesitation.
Yet rather than focusing on these limitations, she encourages small, manageable steps forward, reminding them that progress does not have to be immediate or dramatic. “Even if they cannot move 100 meters, that’s fine. Try 10 meters.”
Even as participation grows, Madam Yu remains measured in how she defines success. “I wouldn’t think that it’s a big, big success,” she stated modestly.
Instead, she finds meaning in the small victories, whether it’s a hesitant senior taking that first step into the pool, an elderly participant laughing mid-exercise, or a group moving together with increasing ease.
When she sees the pool filled with activity, she feels encouraged. “It shows that the seniors can actually take a step forward to do something different.”
And in those ripples across the water, a simple message takes shape: growing older does not necessarily mean slowing down. Sometimes, it simply means learning to move again.
Also read: Age-defying S’porean photographer Chuando Tan turns 60, says ‘time is the only real wealth’
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Featured image by MS News and courtesy of Yu Poh Leng.