The Viral "Model Stretch" Is The Runway-Approved Way To Fix Your Posture

When a model struts down the runway, it’s impossible to ignore their amazing posture. They hold their head up, relax their shoulders, and seem to have perfect alignment from top to toe. It’s as inspiring as it is aspirational, especially if you spend your days slouched over a keyboard.

On TikTok, people are trying to get the same great posture via the aptly named “model stretch,” which is apparently a go-to hack for those who pose for a living. It’s said to improve your posture and fix rounded shoulders, while offering a feeling of relief.

As she sinks into the move, creator @eye.of.saron writes in a video, “POV: Your sister is a model and showed you how they maintain good posture.” The stretch involves kneeling in front of a couch or chair, resting your elbows on the seat, and dropping your head down between your arms. Doing so rotates your shoulders, flattens your back, and loosens up your muscles in the best way. In her comments, someone said, “Olandria must do this every night.” Another wrote, “I think u just dropped the stretch for my exact issue.”

Other commenters joked that the stretch helped them look less like a croissant or shrimp, and more like a model — or at least someone with better posture. In another viral clip, @smallins confirms she’s used the hack as a model, and says it instantly improved her posture every time. Here’s what to know about the move, according to a physical therapist.

Why The Model Stretch Works

According to physical therapist Dr. Lindsy Jackson, PT, DPT, the “model stretch” is a type of latissimus dorsi or “lat” stretch. It can be performed by standing in a doorway and using the wall to stretch, or by moving your hands overhead as it’s shown on TikTok. The move targets the muscles that connect your arms to your mid-to-lower back and pelvis.

When this area is tight, Jackson says it can limit your shoulder mobility, cause lower back arching, and pull the shoulders into an internal rotation. That’s the “rounded,” slouchy look many people complain about, and it’s one that’s common for anyone who’s constantly staring down at a phone or working with their arms stretched out in front of them. These moves lead to stiffness, and ultimately poor posture.

“Improving [lat] flexibility allows the arm to move more freely into overhead flexion and external rotation — positions associated with more neutral alignment,” she tells Bustle. This move also gives you a nice mid-back extension or stretch, which is a key player in good posture, especially as you get older. “It’s less about ‘undoing posture’ and more about giving your body access to a different position,” Jackson says.

By doing a model stretch on a regular basis, you can start to reduce tension and improve muscle length and mobility in your upper body. Not only will that make it easier to stand in a more modelesque way, but it can also make you feel better as you move through the day.

How To Do The Model Stretch

To stand tall like a model, try this move every day for 30 seconds at a time. As Jackson says, “Short, consistent exposure is more helpful than aggressive stretching.” Here’s how to do it:

• Kneel in front of a couch, bed, or chair.
• Place your hands flat on the surface in front of you.
• Turn your palms upward.
• Bend your elbows and lift your hands up.
• As you do, gently hinge forward at the hips.
• Lower your head so that you’re looking at the floor.
• Avoid arching your lower back.
• Notice a stretch along the sides of your back and under your arms.
• You might also feel it at the base of your neck or shoulder blades.
• Hold for 30 seconds, breathing steadily.
• Repeat 2 to 3 times.
• If you feel sharp pain, stop and adjust.
• Try pinching your shoulder blades together or spreading your elbows further apart.
• Repeat daily or as-needed.

Source:

Dr. Lindsy Jackson, PT, DPT, physical therapist