The Quadrobics Phenomenon in Russia

There’s a moral panic in Russia and several former Soviet states about a craze in which teenagers and children dress up as animals and walk on all fours like their favourite animals. In one TikTok video, a group of youngsters are seen scampering across Moscow’s Red Square wearing fox masks and tails. Politicians and religious leaders have warned the trend is a threat to civilised values and a cover for LGBT and western ideology. Legislation is now being considered to ban quadrobics and fine or arrest parents of enthusiasts. But quadrobics has a longer history as a form of exercise. We speak to the pioneering Japanese athlete who holds the world record for covering 100m on all fours in 15.7 seconds, which he set in 2015.

Audio for this episode was updated on 27th February 2025.