Quadrobics: New Fitness Trend Draws Attention While Debates Over Identity Roil Online

Quadrobics has emerged as a fitness trend on social media, with videos showing people moving on hands and knees to imitate animals. Proponents say the workouts push the entire body and deliver real strength gains, while participants emphasize that the practice is not part of the furry community.

The regimen centers on crawling, walking, running and jumping on all fours, often interpreted through animal-inspired poses such as cat or bear stances. Some performers wear masks or tails for effect, but many train without gear, focusing on the core mechanics of quadrupedal movement. The approach draws on natural movement patterns and has been described by enthusiasts as a form of quadrupedal training that challenges balance, coordination and endurance.

"It’s definitely a full-body workout," Soleil — known online as wild.soleil — told The New York Post. "I’ve actually lost a lot of weight since I started doing it, and I really see the definition in my body." She adds that she began to notice a defined core and even a six-pack after several months of practice, noting, "Try it for five minutes and you will be out of breath."

Quadrobics has sparked a broader conversation about identity and movement. Fans say the trend is about fitness and mind-body connection, not about adopting a nonhuman identity. "I’m not identifying as a therian," said Alexia Kraft de la Saulx, a documentary filmmaker who has researched primal movement, telling The Post that quadrobics should be understood as a movement practice rather than an identity.

Kraft de la Saulx’s exposure to the practice grew from a 2021 incident in Barcelona in which she witnessed a man performing what she described as "monkey movements" in trees. The encounter helped spur her collaboration on the 2022 documentary Tarzan Movement with Victor Manuel Fleites Escobar, founder of the Tarzan Movement, a primal-movement offshoot. The film chronicles Kraft de la Saulx’s journey into the style, including long sessions learning to move on all fours, climb, and swing from branches.

For Kraft de la Saulx, training barefoot and adapting to outdoor terrain yielded physical changes she could feel: stronger arms, shoulders, chest and core, and notably thicker soles as her feet adapted to uneven surfaces. "I could definitely see the difference, physically, in my body," she told The Post, adding that the experience helped her feel strong and grounded beyond traditional gym routines.

Experts say quadrobics’ benefits go beyond novelty. The movement’s continuous, dynamic nature engages the shoulders, chest, lats, glutes and quads, elevating heart rate and promoting fat loss while improving mobility, stability and coordination. Personal trainer and USA Weightlifting coach Jarrod Nobbe said the six-pack effect is real when the practice is paired with proper nutrition and a thoughtful training plan, because the core muscles—including the obliques and deep stabilizers—work hard to support the spine and balance.

Despite growing interest, the trend remains controversial. Some onlookers worry the practice carries sexual connotations, but supporters argue the workouts can boost body awareness, reduce stress and foster a more playful, meditative approach to movement. "There’s a playful, almost meditative aspect to it," Nobbe noted. As quadrobics expands across social media, fans say its appeal lies in its accessibility and its break from decades-old gym routines, offering a way to train functionally while reconnecting with primal movement patterns.

The trend sits within a broader rise of primal movement practices that emphasize natural human patterns—crawling, climbing, walking and squatting—as people seek more functional, holistic forms of fitness. Health professionals say the key to any new trend is proper technique, progressive training and attention to individual limitations.