Children Without Cages: Who Are the Quadrobers and Why Are There So Many Scandals Because of Them?

Small children, teenagers, young people and even adults wear animal masks, tie fluffy tails and run on all fours in public places. At the same time, they meow, bark, moo, growl, neigh and howl. These are quadrobers. They copy the habits of dogs, cats, monkeys, sheep, wolves and other animals, considering themselves supporters of an unofficial sport. To enhance the image, quadrobers wear animal masks, use fake tails and gloves.

Today, you can find not only people who growl and jump on all fours in playgrounds, parks and squares. Many countries organize joint activities and competitions. On them, quadrobing enthusiasts run, swim, imitate hunting, climb trees and sleep like animals.

First of all, the quad has an entertainment function. Teenagers strive to be fashionable and demonstrate their ability to copy animal behavior, competing with each other to see who has the coolest mask and habits. The goal is to convey as accurately as possible the behavior of a cat, dog, fox, hedgehog, pig and other animals.

Obviously, a real quadruple needs to have observation, artistry and endurance (otherwise you won’t be able to jump on all fours for a long time). But sometimes attempts to resemble animals go far – when children pounce on cat or dog food, chew grass in the park, bite random passers-by or satisfy their physiological needs under the nearest bush.

You can find information online that the name “quadrobing” was born from the combination of the Latin word quattuor (four) and the English aerobics (aerobics). The unofficial ancestor of the trend is considered to be the Japanese Kenichi Ito, nicknamed the Monkey Man on the Internet. This is how he was teased as a child because of his specific appearance. In an interview, the man recalled that he was never offended by his peers, because he did not consider monkeys to be inferior creatures.

One day, a resident of the suburbs of Tokyo saw a patas monkey rushing somewhere at incredible speed. Kenichi Ito decided to learn how to run like a monkey at all costs. The guy spent nine years realizing his dream: he studied the movement patterns of monkeys and developed his own technique – from slow walking on all fours to fast running in jumps. In 2015, Kenichi set a record by running 100 meters in 15.71 seconds.

The Japanese pastime gained many followers who managed to overcome its feat. Later, quadrobing proponents added masks and animal tails for more credibility and clarity. And the quadruple movement spread throughout the world.

The ideas of these two subcultures are similar. But quadrobers are different from furries – fans of humanoid animals. Kvadrobika is not about dressing up as famous people. Followers of this movement strive to imitate the behavior of animals. And for furry fans, costumes and transformation into a specific hero come first. Of course, the target audiences of these phenomena may overlap, but there are still differences.

Around 2019, quad biking became popular in the United States. Russian teenagers discovered an unusual subculture thanks to social networks – Likee, TikTok and YouTube. Videos on the Internet collected tens of thousands of likes, and Russian children made their first attempts to transform themselves into their favorite animal at home. Some made their own masks, others ordered accessories on the markets to look as much like the animal as possible.

Not wanting to bury their talent in the confines of their home, looking for like-minded people, young quadrobers took to the streets and gathered in packs and impromptu zoos. At the same time, rhythmic gymnastics coaches and choreographers unequivocally answer that quad training has nothing to do with sports. There is no performance of clearly choreographed elements to music, grace, etc. It is rather a madness and a game.

Parents often follow the example of their children – it doesn’t matter what the child is playing with, as long as he gets away from the smartphone and goes outside to get some fresh air. And if quadrobers develop dexterity and strength and organize outdoor games, it’s even better. They are convinced that masks, jumping and running can in no way harm the child. Sometimes arguments are put forward that in any hobby it is important not to cross reasonable limits.

Meanwhile, opponents of quadrobing are mostly concerned about these limits, when the behavior of children wearing masks becomes inappropriate. While playing, quadrobers attack people, bite and scratch them. But above all, they are sure that the child harms himself if he becomes too interested in quads.

There is also a financial aspect to the issue. In order for quadrobers to accept a newcomer as one of their own, you need to provide the child with a mask, tail, gloves and other attributes. Parents pay, children are happy, and businessmen are happy to flood the market with products aimed at this subculture.

Fans of the trend claim that quadruple bracelets strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve endurance and coordination of movements. The main thing, they are sure, is to find the theriotype – your inner animal that you feel in yourself.

Doctors are not so clear about the phenomenon. As a rule, quadrobers move on all fours, and this body position is not physiological for our body. The founder of quadrobing, Kenichi Ito, ran on all fours in a straight line. Teenagers jump a lot, climb trees and hills, and jump from great heights. Without physical preparation, this can lead to bruises, sprains, and fractures.

Long-term stress on individual muscle groups is not the most beneficial. They do not experience it during normal walking. Doctors urge not to forget about the risk of injury and infection during active movements on the ground with hands, knees and other parts of the body. But the biggest concern of doctors is the consumption of food of animal origin. It is often made from foods that the human body cannot digest. It is dangerous for children.

Reasoning from the point of view of physiology, doctors advise you to discuss safety measures with the young quad athlete, gradually increase the load and not stay on all fours for a long time. If this is a game without eating grass, dog food, without maintaining hygiene on a clean floor at home, then there should be no negative consequences from dressing up as animals and adequately imitating them.

Psychologists advise to understand the reasons why the child chose this behavior. If a child has fun for a while, following a trend, there is nothing to worry about. But, as a rule, demonstrative behavior is aimed at satisfying a request, for example, by attracting the attention that is lacking. The main thing is not to open quad sections, where children will learn all the habits of animals.

“On the one hand, quadrobing really looks like a game. All children develop in the game, imitate adults, imitate various actions. All games are necessary for the development of a child’s personality. The question is what kind of games they are and what are their goals. If we take “mothers and daughters”, we consider this to be a girl’s entertainment. It teaches socialization, relationships within families and with others. Boys’ games are often based on competition (“Cossacks-robbers”).

The theme of imitating animal behavior from a psychological point of view can be considered as a kind of altered state of consciousness, which is often used in some formations when the symbol of a totem animal is used. One must identify with it and feel certain animal resources. Perhaps part of the meaning of quadrobing is borrowed from similar formations.

What is wrong with this trend? It is antisocial behavior. Children behave in a way that, if they do not directly harm others, often does not evoke positive emotions. The second point of the negative impact of such a game is following fashion, a trend that makes quadrobing a cult. In this sense, children and adolescents develop the idea of ​​belonging to a certain community of people. They are obsessed with trying to bring those who practice quadrobing into this community. This is precisely where there is little development for the individual.

It should also be noted that the development of the cult of this trend is facilitated by the dissemination of videos and photos with the image of quadrobers on social networks. When this is done for the purpose of hype, in public, in this sense, it is not a game at all and is not useful for the child’s personality.

Residents of many regions are turning to ombudsmen, deputies and officials with demands for a ban on quad biking in Russia. They believe that a harmless pastime has become a real problem for people on the street, who are sometimes attacked by “wild” children. It is one thing for a child to play for a short time with friends in the park, but quite another to keep a mask for days on end and gradually lose his human appearance. There are already known cases in the world when people decide to undergo plastic surgery in order to outwardly resemble animals.

Among those who applied, there are also those who propose not to cancel quadrobing, because inappropriate behavior is very rare. They motivate this by the fact that today, in quadruplet groups, rules are created that prohibit, among other things, biting, scratching and chewing the floor.

So far, there is no talk of a complete ban on quad bikes in Russia. At the same time, the Interregional Center for Children and Youth of the Russian Federation received a request to assess this phenomenon and its impact on the younger generation.