‘I’m a dancer, and these are the 3 no-no-no’s of stretching your hamstrings’
Chances are your current hamstring stretching routine has a few flaws. These three biggest mistakes people make, according to a (very flexible) dancer.
‘I’m a dancer, and these are the 3 no-no-no’s of stretching your hamstrings’
Chances are your current hamstring stretching routine has a few flaws. These three biggest mistakes people make, according to a (very flexible) dancer.
I have a rocky relationship with hamstring stretching (see: the yoga butt incident of 2018). Unwinding the tight group of muscles running up the backs of your legs can make all of your everyday movements feel more effortless, but getting the hang of how can be tricky. That’s why I asked Donna Flagg, a dancer and stretching instructor at Broadway Dance Center, to coach me through proper techniques. Apparently, there are three things you should never (like, ever) do when you’re stretching your hamstrings.
“The world is divided into people who believe they were born inflexible and always will be, and those who stretch but don’t understand why their flexibility does not improve,” she tells me. If you find yourself struggling with forward-fold or (trying) to do the splits, then Flagg wants you to listen up. Simple as it may seam, tweaking your form just slightly can lead to big results.
Ready for smarter hamstring stretching? Watch out for these 3 common mistakes.
1. Don’t: Buckle foward
“In an effort to go farther and touch their toes, people bend their knees, making it more likely that they will touch the floor,” says Flagg. While nothing’s inherently wrong with that, the problem arises if you buckle and slacken the whole back of your leg. Meaning, your hamstrings won’t get stretched out and you’re compromising the health of your needs.
Do this instead:To keep your entire lower chain safe, contract the muscles around your kneecaps. This will engage your quads and keep your upper leg active.
2. Don’t: Tuck your pelvis under
Flagg says she often sees people with tighter hamstrings tucking their pelvis under, which shortens your hamstrings and keeps the whole upper-back section of your legs from getting stretched out.
Do this instead: “In order to stretch the top of the hamstrings, you have to stick your butt out and keep it out. That goes for standing and sitting positions,” says Flagg.
3. DOn’T: Flex Your toes instead of the entirety of your feet
“You’ll notice that people often flex their feet when they stretch their hamstrings, but because their hamstrings are tight, their feet find a way to cheat them out of the stretch,” Flagg explains. By this, she means that rather than flexing the foot at the ankle, they simply flex their toes, which does…. next to nothing.
advertisement
Do this instead: “You have to flex with flat feet and leave the toes out of it,” says the dancer.
Want legs like a dancer? This workout will get you there:
Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission
Thanks to innovations in health and wellness tech, you don’t have to book an expensive lymphatic drainage massage to give your system a boost. Dry brushes, gua sha tools, foam rollers—they’re all readily available and more accessible than the cost of manual lymph work. And now, apparently, we can add “lymphatic drainage onesie” to the list of recovery tools out there that can potentially give your lymph nodes some love.
bioregulator medical expert at the BioMed Center in Scottsdale
advertisement
I was skeptical when I first heard about Heat Healer’s Activated Lymphatic Onesie ($200), a one-piece jumpsuit that claims to reduce bloating, improve recovery, and increase circulation just by wearing it. It sounded too good to be true. But as someone training for a 10k and traveling frequently for work, I decided to try it for 30 days—couldn’t hurt, right?
The timing was spot on—I was about to head to Mexico City for Marriott’s Masters of the Craft, a culinary competition where I’d be eating and drinking my days away watching a cook-off between Marriott’s top talent. If there was ever a time to test a garment promising to reduce bloating and improve recovery, this was it.
About the Heat Healer Activated Lymphatic Onesie
Heat Healer’s Activated Lymphatic Onesie is effectively a compression suit that amplifies your body’s natural detox system. Using what the brand calls “Antigravity Technology,” this onesie combines strategic compression and raised fabric patterns to stimulate lymphatic flow, helping your system clear excess fluid and waste while boosting circulation and oxygenation. Think of it as a wearable self-care tool for optimizing your body’s drainage network.
“Moving lymph allows your cells to breathe ‘freely’ and is akin to doing a biological oil change,” explains Jeoff Drobot, NMD, a bioregulator medical expert in Scottsdale. He adds we filter about 5 liters of lymph daily—equivalent to our total blood volume. When this system isn’t flowing efficiently, it can leave us feeling bloated, fatigued, and sluggish. However, with proper stimulation, like that provided by lymphatic drainage techniques (or in this case, the Activated Lymphatic Onesie), people often report improved energy levels, digestion, and even better sleep.
“Lymphatic onesies can be helpful after workouts to support recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and minimize swelling,” says Carrie Riley, lymphatic massage specialist and founder of Cincinnati Massage for Mental Health. “They’re also a great option for long flights, as they can help counteract fluid retention and improve circulation during extended periods of sitting. The same is also true for someone with long hours at a desk job.”
My review
What I love
Feeling better just by wearing a jumpsuit sounded great, but could it really deliver on its claims? I was determined to find out.
I can confirm that the onesie—a short-sleeved jumpsuit with leggings—provided immediate relief, starting from the very first wear; my body felt light and floaty as if I’d somehow shed fatigue buried in my bones. During my time in Mexico City, where I sampled everything from tequila to Michelin-star tacos, the onesie was a lifesaver. Between the elevation and rich meals, my body was working overtime, but slipping this suit over my skin back at my hotel brought me a sense of recovery I didn’t expect.
Photo: Author
Its benefits were even more apparent after an especially enthusiastic evening at Handshake Speakeasy (currently ranked as the World’s Best Bar). Normally, cocktails leave me bloated and shaky the next day. But, waking up in the middle of the night with the sense of an oncoming hangover, I crawled into the onesie and collapsed back into bed, hoping for the best. By morning, I was shocked by how much better I felt—so much so that I even took a class at a local fitness studio. During my 10K training, it became an essential part of my recovery routine, easing post-run fatigue and helping me bounce back faster—I like to think that it helped me hit my personal record on race day.
I found the onesie was also a game-changer for long flights. While bathroom breaks were challenging (airplane gymnastics, anyone?), its ability to counter travel-related gastro-stress made them worth it. Over 30 days, I wore it on eight flights and experienced a level of comfort I’ve never had before. It helps that the onesie is fashionable and easy to pair with sweats or oversized button-downs. While Dr. Drobot says that the lymphatic onesies such as Heat Healer’s pale in comparison to manual lymphatic drainage from a highly-trained practitioner, I appreciated that I could take it on the go with me.
What I don’t love
Getting into the onesie requires dedication, especially that first time. I followed the recommendation to size down, and although it wasn’t as tight as shapewear, I still performed an interpretive dance just to shimmy it on. Once it was on, the effort felt worth it, but the process was still tedious.
As mentioned, bathroom breaks presented another challenge, only from a logistics standpoint. Wrestling with the onesie in an airplane bathroom felt like an Olympic event. But as soon as I stepped out of the stall and felt its effects, I forgot the inconvenience.
Final thoughts
After 30 days of testing—from excessive evenings in Mexico City to 10K training and long-haul flights—I’m convinced it’s worth a spot in your recovery routine. While it’s not a miracle solution, the lymphatic onesie supported me through bloating, recovery, and even hangovers.
Riley offers some perspective for anyone considering a lymphatic drainage onesie, “Think of the onesie as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for professional care.” That said, while lymphatic drainage has anecdotal support and some research backing, the science around wearable tools like this isn’t yet conclusive. As always, consult your doctor before trying new wellness products, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns. In the meantime, while I don’t foresee myself wearing my onesie every day, I will definitely be pulling it out on days I need a little pick-me-up.
Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter
Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.
