Quadrobics, being the unique sport it is, has a feature that separates the sport into two distinct halves that shape and categorize all gaits, skills, and styles that the sport has to offer. These two halves are known as the ‘focuses’ of quadrobics: Traditional and Recreational. This article goes over the basics of each focus, including how they split gaits and jumps, and each of their distinct styles, structures, and purposes.

  Traditional is the first focus taught and encompasses all of the basics of the sport, covering most skills in levels 1-4. This focus is based around natural forms and movements, geared towards navigating terrain, fluid movement, handling interruptions, and moving with the body’s natural flow. Features of this focus include strength based gaits, functional jumps, movements & skills, and maneuvers. The style of this focus is described as more “animalistic”, with a lower stance, tighter form, and fluid movements, focusing more on speed and strength than form and precision. 

  Recreational is near the polar opposite of its counterpart. Being based on equestrian dressage, its focus is based more on consistency, precision, form and conformity. Its skills are based in balance, control, form, stance, and coordination. Features of this focus include full formed jumps, formal gaits and stances, performing skills, positions and forms. 

  Recreational quadrobics is exactly as its name describes, focusing on recreational aspects of the sport – anything that would otherwise be non-functional or unnecessary for basic movement. Examples include a collection of formal gaits, turns, flips, experimental jumps or movements, and categories like specialty gaits, variants, and skill categories. This category has a very distinctive style, often seen in formal sports, with a high stature, long stance, distinct tucks, numerous positions, and a more back heavy form than typical or traditional quadrobics.

  While the world of Quadrobics is sorted into these two focuses, the sport is not completely divided by them. Each aspect that makes up a focus has other forms of categorization that prevent the halves from separating completely, and while they are both decidedly distinctive in most categories, in others, the lines are blurred.

  Here's a side by side of the main gaits in Traditional vs Recreational quads. 

  Jumps are a great way to differentiate the focuses, especially in their styles and purposes. Jumps are broken into two categories outside of the focuses: Formed and Unformed. 

  While the unformed term has somewhat of a negative connotation, it is quite the opposite.  Unformed jumps are more basic, following all of the normal jump steps excluding buck and midform, instead its highest point is called midpoint and is less collected and formed than the other. Unformed jumps have ample ability to make up for the lack of form and posture, in fact it includes more styles, varieties and functions than formed jumps. 

  Unformed jumps are characterized by their relaxed posture, comfortable stance, maneuverability and speed control. While these are all positive, it has its negatives as well, for example it's much less photogenic than formed jumps, and it's not the best at momentum control so proper landings may come off as harsh to some people. Another note, due to the form being more relaxed, it can promote future habits such as clipping, splaying, drifting and dropping, especially if someone chooses to transition from unformed to formed jumps as their main choice.

  Formed jumps have a lot more steps in the jump itself, even though it has little personality in other aspects like landings, speed control and maneuverability, it makes up in other aspects. Examples of these could be things such as form, height, posture, and control. Formed jumps are featured in many sports, especially Show Jumping. It's distinctive by its midform and buck, two steps that occur at the height of the jump while midair. The buck is a step that helps slow down the momentum of the jump, making it easier and safer to land with proper form.

  Here's a side by side view of some recreational sports vs traditional sports. 

  The last feature of the focuses is that athletes can personally choose one to shape their form and preferences. It's often you'll hear someone ask “What's your focus?” Answers are usually trad or rec, but many choose to remain focus less in order to keep their form as adaptable as possible.

  Teachers and trainers may also choose to identify with a focus, meaning they specialize in skills in that category, but teachers should still be capable and knowledgeable in all categories even if they have a focus.

  Personal styles can reflect on form and alignment especially. Recreational forms are known for being higher, more collected, flat and symmetrical. Common traits are having the arms and legs further back during starting position, straight arms, a higher neck posture, and flat back. Traditional forms are more relaxed, spread out and stable, with a relaxed neck posture, higher back stance, lower tucks, and bent arms.