A new fitness trend called quadrobics is gaining popularity online, where individuals engage in movement on all fours—mimicking animals through crawling, running, and jumping. The practice has drawn attention for its physical intensity and unconventional style, often showcased in videos on TikTok and Instagram.
Social media users like TikToker Soleil (@wild.soleil), based in Germany, have embraced quadrobics both as a form of exercise and a form of expression. Soleil, who identifies as a therian—a person who sees themselves as nonhuman in some sense—said the practice has helped her lose weight and improve muscle definition. “It’s definitely a full-body workout,” she told The Post, citing visible gains in her core strength and overall physique.
While quadrobics has gained traction within niche communities like therians, it is also attracting a broader audience interested in primal movement and alternative fitness routines. The workout shares similarities with quadrupedal movement training and “animal flow” exercises, which emphasize functional strength, coordination, and mobility without the need for gym equipment.
Belgian filmmaker Alexia Kraft de la Saulx discovered quadrobics in 2021 while filming a documentary about the Tarzan Movement, a fitness philosophy based on primal, outdoor movements. She said the practice transformed her body and mindset, describing it as both physically demanding and meditative. “You enter a focused, almost spiritual state,” she said of her training.
Fitness experts, including USAW national coach Jarrod Nobbe, say quadrobics engages core muscles, glutes, shoulders, and stabilizers while also elevating the heart rate. “It’s a dynamic workout that improves strength and cardiovascular fitness,” Nobbe said. He recommends beginners focus on form and start with foundational moves like bear crawls and beast holds to avoid injury.
Despite misconceptions and occasional backlash—especially toward participants wearing animal masks or tails—practitioners say quadrobics is about reconnecting with natural movement, not roleplay or performance. Both Soleil and Kraft de la Saulx emphasize that it’s a serious workout requiring dedication and control.
Kraft de la Saulx now co-hosts tree climbing retreats and is developing an online course to introduce others to quadrobics, which she sees as a liberating and holistic way to move. As the trend continues to grow, it is reshaping how people view fitness by merging creativity, animalistic motion, and full-body training into a unique and accessible discipline.