Updated January 28, 2013: I continue to use this strap and it's in new condition - no fraying or discoloration. I see that the price came down notably too. Other colors are available now too. Also, a lot of physical therapists demonstrate techniques using it on YouTube. ... This is a very sturdy, strong high-quality strap. The length of it is a series of loops. It will outlast us. I first experienced this at the physical therapist's office and was instructed in its use. Physical therapists call it "the green strap" because supposedly they're all green no matter who makes them. The instruction booklet that comes with it shows far more stretches than I was taught at therapy, so you're pretty well covered. I've used this strap for 2 years now and it works. You can easily stretch your hamstrings, hips & quads in as challenging a manner as you want with this strap. Although the manual shows many positions for using the strap, I only use it while lying on my back. As an example, you can place the ball of your foot in an end loop and pull one of the other loops such that your leg is straight up and hold it there, and you can make it as challenging as you like. Then you also pull your leg to each side, one side at a time, and pull up on the strap to try to make your leg perpendicular to your back, and again hold it there. This takes a lot of pressure off the sciatic nerve and should be part of the stretching routine that accompanies the muscle strengthening routines that you need to do. An important point is this: even if you have a good routine with stretching, you will still be able to accomplish things with this strap that you couldn't otherwise. Once you try it, it will be intuitive. The best tip I can give is to use something thicker than a typical yoga mat, the thicker the better. The one excuse I used to skip using the strap is that the floor is too hard even with a thin yoga mat. I solved that by getting an exercise mat that is probably 3 times as thick as a typical yoga mat. I attached this one since it looks a little like mine, although this is not the one I got and so I cannot vouch for it. But think about finding a thick mat of some kind so that you'll enjoy using the strap. Everlast Roll up Exercise Mat Read more
Getting older, I realized I needed to stretch more. This strap works well for stretches I could not easily do without it. My flexibility has improved greatly. It is clearly durable and high quality. It is well worth the price and I use it several times a week. Read more
Let me make something very clear from the onset. I prefer lifting weights to stretching with a strap. I have been lifting since my early teens, and am lifting regularly once again since I retired. During my younger adult years I also ran, primarily on pavement. But I seldom stretched because I don't like stretching. Over the years I gave up various activities because of pain, stiffness, and inflexibility. I stopped running in my thirties because my knees were sore enough to interfere with sleep at night, and made using the stairs very unpleasant. I stopped doing barbell squats and deadlifts for similar reasons, e.g., difficulty getting out of my car. In my sixties I began to experience serious hip pain while walking in London. I doubt that these various pains were due solely to not stretching, but after two episodes of physical therapy, I am finally getting it. I need to stretch despite not enjoying it. In fact, my not liking to stretch is probably related to my needing it, just like neglecting my hamstrings and working my quads both contributed to and was due to, strong quads and weak hams. Sometimes avoiding an activity is a clue to what I need to work on more. What does this have to do with the OPTP strap and the instruction booklet that accompanies it? I cannot stretch my quads by grabbing my ankle and pulling my leg back and up, because I can't reach my ankle that way. A towel around my ankle helped some, but was hard to hold on to. An old belt looped around my ankle helped some, but was fast becoming uncomfortable. This strap comfortably loops around my ankle and is long enough to bring across my back and opposing shoulder where I can slip my hands through the loops for a strong grip. I am able to bring my heel(s) closer to my glutes (fanny) so I feel a stretch in my (quads) thigh. Best of all, I found that when my knee hurt after a workout, stretching my quads immediately decreased and quickly eliminated the soreness. My thought is my knee hurt because my strong and tight quad pulled harder than my weak hamstring, thereby contributing to poor tracking of my knee. Stretching my quads and strengthening my hams is beginning to lessen this imbalance. The strap turns out to be the same brand as used at PT, although I have never used it there. The strap I received appears well-made, with many loops for getting strong grips for better leverage. The printed guide that came with the OPTP strap is a gem. It contains more stretches than I have been taught at PT. The photos that demonstrate the moves are in color and of high quality. The instructions are well-written and edited. I have found an alternative in the guide for a stretch that was problematic for me. I am hopeful that with stretching, attention to proper form and symmetrical muscle development, I will be able to once again walk a lot, perhaps even jog a little, and certainly lift regularly. Perhaps all those women over the years were right about my not getting it, although to be fair, they weren't referring to muscle imbalance. Read more
The item was as described and works as expected. The strap came with a detailed instruction manual showing different exercises and explining the benefits of each. Read more
Helpful for stretching and added exercise equipment. Read more
I use this strap more than any other piece of workout equipment. Top quality…lasts forever. Exercise book is useful, especially if this is the first time your have used the strap. Read more
One of the best purchases I have ever made as someone who workouts- it helps you get the deep stretches in especially for the hamstrings. One year on, no frays- stitches still in place Read more
Very sturdy & it has several loops for different lengths.! highly recommend this itemm Read more
