In a new online trend, people are scuttling, crawling, and bounding around on all fours while filming themselves—and their videos are getting a lot of attention. The practice is called quadrobics, and it’s quite the spectacle.
Quadrobics evangelists claim the movements promote fitness, strength, mobility and even spirituality, as a chance to reconnect with nature and the “primal” self.
The word quadrobics comes from quattuor (Latin for four) and aerobics (exercise that is rhythmic and repetitive, and which uses the body’s large muscle groups, such as in running).
But is this form of workout actually good for you? Is it just another fad made viral by our attention economy? Or perhaps, a bit of both?
From world records to the therian subculture
Quadrobics gained notoriety back in 2008 when Japanese sprinter Kenichi Ito set a Guinness World Record by sprinting 100 meters on all fours.
Since then, the records have been tumbling. In 2022, American Collin McClure clocked 15.66 seconds, and this year Japanese runner Ryusei Yonee smashed the mark again, with a blistering 14.55 seconds.
Yonee said he studied animal movement from childhood and trained by observing dogs, cats, and monkeys before refining his own technique on the running track.
Recently, we’ve seen a growing number of social media users, particularly young users, posting their own quadrobics content.
In some places, such as Russia, entire subcultures of “quadrobers” have emerged. They combine quadrobics with costume play and are often seen crawling outdoors while wearing animal masks.
Most of the quadrobics content online originates from the therian community. Therians are individuals, often children, who see themselves as non-human animals.
Adult therians were among the pioneers of quadrobics. While not all therians participate in quadrobics, those who do believe that moving on all fours is a way to express their identity physically.
It’s important to differentiate therians from the “furry” fandom. While therians identify as animals, furries are interested in human-like animal characters.
Furries create personalized avatars known as “fursonas” and participate in events and conventions wearing “fursuits.”
In countries like Russia and other former Soviet states, the sight of young people in animal masks and tails has caused concern among some politicians and religious leaders, leading to moral panic.
Recently, the Interior Ministry in Uzbekistan warned parents about children’s involvement in quadrobics, considering it as parental neglect. Russian politician Vyacheslav Volodin even attributed the trend to Western influence, calling it a “dehumanization project.”
Fitness or performance?
Quadrobics focuses on movement rather than costume, identity, or role play.
It falls under the broader category of “ancestral” or “primal” wellness trends, alongside practices like paleo diets, ice baths, and the Liver King’s raw meat diet. These trends aim to reconnect people with nature while enhancing performance.
Mainstream health and wellness sources are starting to acknowledge quadrobics, with various articles citing its benefits for training major muscle groups and improving coordination.
Enthusiasts demonstrate moves like bear crawls, leopard walks, leaps, and balances, which have been used for years as warm-ups or mobility exercises.
Some practitioners claim benefits such as improved fitness and weight loss.
Research suggests that quadrupedal movement can enhance balance, flexibility, and core stability. Its rhythmic nature can also elevate heart rate, offering benefits for aerobic fitness and health.
However, quadrobics also has limitations.
The risks and limitations
Since quadrobics relies on body weight resistance, the muscle load is limited to body weight. This makes it less effective than weightlifting for improving strength and bone density, where lifting weights allows for progressive increases.
While quadrobics provides aerobic benefits, it requires considerable skill, making it challenging to sustain for extended periods or at higher intensities.
