Wellness

Jonathan Van Ness Is Serving Figure Skating Realness All Over His Instagram RN

by Georgina Berbari

Does anyone else shamelessly stalk Jonathan Van Ness' Instagram on the reg? The feel-good vibes he brings to social media are next-level — like, more next-level than the positivity he brings to his role as the go-to grooming guru on Queer Eye — so, really, if you're not lurking his page 24/7, you should probably get on that. Plus, Jonathan Van Ness' figure skating Instagram videos as of late are kind of the most amazing pieces of internet content I have ever seen. Me? Dramatic? Never.

If you're only vaguely familiar with JVN from Netflix's hit show Queer Eye, then you might not know that the 31-year-old entertainer has pretty much always been obsessed with Olympic figure skating and the athletes who compete in the sport. Now that you know that little nugget of information, though, I think you can agree with me when I say that there is nothing more pure and amazing in this world than the fact that JVN is finally trying the sport out for himself. I, for one, am beyond happy for him.

Basically, if you look at JVN's Instagram feed from the past several days, you'll see that he's been posting tons of videos of himself learning to figure skate. He's practicing spins, he's learning how to skate backward, he's doing crossovers on the ice — he's honestly killing it. And I don't know about you, but I can literally feel his joy emanating from my smartphone as I watch each and every video he uploads.

Of course, that joy I'm feeling for the Queer Eye star might have something to do with the fact that JVN himself is serving nothing but gratitude and good vibes in his Instagram captions for these videos. "Thank you universe Mother Nature goddess or whoever for letting this all happen," he wrote in the caption of a Nov. 30 video post. "I'm not quite even sure how my life got here but I'm so grateful." But really, thank you, Jonathan, for being exactly who you are. Thank YOU.

If you, like me, are feeling pretty inspired by JVN's passion for being on the ice, and you're looking for a fun new workout to try this winter, ice skating might be just the thing. "As long as you aren’t attempting a triple Salchow, [ice skating] is a fantastic low-impact form of exercise that works your endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness in a safe, enjoyable way," Eliza Nelson, ACE-certified personal trainer, nutrition expert, and orthopedic exercise specialist, tells Elite Daily over email.

And being on the ice is a lot more intense than you might think, Nelson adds, in that the activity works your entire body from head to toe. (Even more props to JVN, amirite?)

"To be decent on the ice, you must completely engage your core," Ronnie Lubischer, CSCS, owner of Lubischer's Burn and Blast Training, explains. "So while it may not be the typical sit-up kind of ab workout you may be used to, you’re going to get a ton of core activation through skating."

Additionally, your quads, hamstrings, and glutes will do a lot of the heavy lifting on the ice, Lubischer tells Elite Daily. Seriously, I wasn't kidding when I said it's a full-body, head-to-toe kind of workout, guys.

In terms of preparing for your first skating sesh, Nelson recommends wearing cozy clothing that'll allow you to move without too much restriction, but will still provide extra warmth for your joints as you begin to move. It's also important to warm up before you make your way onto the ice, she explains. "Ideally, you can warm your muscles up a bit before you step on the ice," Nelson says. "Start with some bodyweight squats, butt kicks, or speed skaters (leaping side to side) to get your body in motion."

Even if you feel like you're kind of a slow skater as you find your bearings, Nelson says it really is a great workout regardless, as your legs will still be working constantly to hold you up, along with basically the rest of your body as you strive to maintain balance, coordination, and a comfortable posture.

"Even if you are strong in the gym with typical movements like squats or lunges, I guarantee you will be sore after skating, as you are using your body in a new way," says Nelson. "It can feel like there is a significant learning curve before you are super speedy, coordinated, or have totally mastered skating, but if you stay consistent and be patient that any new skill takes some time, you may find a new favorite past-time."