Wellness
Boxbollen to launch workout programme to target its older audience
The Swedish company is currently working on a new workout programme with the help of the founders’ grandmother.
Boxbollen is a sport that went viral on TikTok with over 50 million views and that helps combat sedentary lifestyles, gamifying physical activity.
The tech startup is now working on a 30 days workout programme that aims to help the older generation stay active and social. “Our main objective is to influence people to move and have fun,” says Jacob Eriksson, Boxbollen co-founder.
The first participant of the exercising programme will be the founders’ grandmother, who already went viral on Tiktok with a workout video.
@the.boxball We love our grandma ❤️ 86 years old and working out with Boxbollen #boxbollen #theboxball #app #handeyecoordination #game #elderly #senior #seniorcitizen #eldercare #grandma #grandmasoftiktok ♬ orijinal ses – Ekrem Kaçar
“Our grandma is 84 and during the Covid-19 pandemic she couldn’t go out,” says Eriksson. “We brought the product to her and we started teaching her how to use the app.
“We posted a video of her using Boxbollen and we saw a counter effect right away as more elderly people started using the product.”
The startup is already working with neuro-rehabilitation specialists and with coaches who work with Parkinson’s patients to explore the benefits that this new sport may have.
Many studies have shown that physical activity reduces many major mortality risk factors including arterial hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Researchers have also connected physical activity to a slowing down in cognitive decline, which can decelerate dementia symptoms.
“Similar types of training that include hand-eye coordination, focus, motor skills and visual-motor reaction time have already been proven effective for healthy longevity,” says Eriksson. “So, we just want to show on paper that this can also happen with the boxball.”
With its new programme, the startup also aims to reduce social isolation that represents a serious public health risk for older adults. This is possible thank to the startup app that links the ball to the player’s device.
This allows the player to enrol in “competitions, challenges, games, and tutorial videos where you can compete against other people”.
Boxbollen is currently available in 56 markets worldwide and it is going to be launched in Japan by the end of this year.