What is the “ice in my veins” pose on TikTok? Confusing challenge goes viral

Every day, the simplest and most bizarre things can become a new TikTok trend. The latest trend to take over the app involves people pointing at their arm, usually with their index and middle finger — and it’s apparently based on the “ice in my veins” pose.

A popular format that is spreading amongst TikTokers recently involves them pointing two fingers at their inner arm, as if they were going to take their pulse. This pose is often accompanied by text which shares information about the TikToker. At first glance, this pose doesn’t make a lot of sense, but NBA fans might realize it’s pretty familiar.

What does the “ice in my veins” pose mean on TikTok?

The arm gesture, which is known as the “ice in my veins” pose, comes from a popular term used in sport. For professional sportsmen like NBA players, the phrase means that they are “cold-blooded” and are feeling cool under pressure during the final few minutes of a sports match that could make or break the game. The pose associated with the term was popularized by former Los Angeles Lakers player D’Angelo Russell, who started pointing to the “ice in his veins” as a celebratory pose after scoring clutch plays.

After he made it more mainstream, the pose gained traction across social media and became a lot more widespread.

So, the pulse-checking pose is no accident: on TikTok — it is clearly inspired by Russell’s victory pose, but has taken on new meaning. Rather than referring to the pressured final moments of a basketball game, pointing to the “ice in your veins” on TikTok means that someone is telling the truth and expressing their true nature.

story of my life #fyp

♬ Hayloft – Mother Mother

Given that information pertaining to the TikToker is usually accompanied by this pose, the revised meaning behind it makes sense — the pose is just meant to reinforce the fact that the text in their video describes their true nature, and that what they’re saying is true. The gesture is mostly used as part of the “It Started with a ‘Hey'” TikTok challenge.

What is the “It Started with a ‘Hey'” challenge?

The “It Started with a ‘Hey'” challenge is used to compare two people with completely contrasting personalities, with the second person in the video usually making the arm gesture in order to verify that what they’re saying is true and that they’re referring to their ‘true selves.’

The challenge is usually accompanied by the 2008 song “Hayloft” by the band Mother Mother.

facts😌🤚🏻

♬ Hayloft – Mother Mother

One viral example of the challenge in action was posted by TikTok user ‘macelneser.’ The video, which has amassed 7.3 million views, starts with macelnesar describing herself as a pushover before then showing viewers her best friend who, while doing the arm gesture, is described as someone who will “literally kill anyone.”

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It is unclear how, with this challenge, TikTokers made the leap from a celebratory sports pose to a universal truth-telling symbol, but at least we now know what it means!

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