STRETCH STRAPS FROM LEBERT FITNESS*
What It Is: A sturdy set of straps (two to a package) that help you maximize the stretching exercises you’re doing as part of your fitness routine – or you know you should be doing but aren’t. The straps are approximately 18 inches long with a large loop on one end and a padded foam handle on the other. You use one or both straps at a time, depending on the stretch.
What You Might Not Know: Canadian company Lebert Fitness is also the creator of the unique-to-the-fitness-industry Lebert Equalizers (which I review here).
Feelin’ the Love: Lebert Stretch Straps, which come in black or pink, are designed to help you get yourself into a lot of highly beneficial stretching positions that you might not be able to experience without the straps.
This product is ideal for anyone who doesn’t have a ton of flexibility but needs more of it for pain relief, better posture, performance enhancement and injury prevention.
My flexibility is OK, so I was surprised at just how much more I got out of using the straps for stretches that I’m used to doing anyway. Each stretch felt deeper and less of a strain to achieve because the straps allow good leverage while you’re standing or resting on the floor.
Plus, I discovered some new stretches! The Hip Knot alone (shown below) made this product worthwhile for me. With the straps, I was able to feel such a deep, targeted – but still comfortable – hip stretch, which made my whole body feel more relaxed.
If I Could Change One Thing: The Lebert Stretch Strap kit comes with both a 45-minute instructional DVD and a poster of 12 stretches with photos and how-to descriptions. But I’d love to see more iPad-friendly YouTube videos demonstrating brief stretching routines in under 5 or 10 minutes.
Should You Buy It? It’s completely possible to stretch well without this gear. But for $19.95 USD, you will get more out of almost every familiar stretch and open the door to enjoyable new ones, as well (Hip Knot, here I come).
Available at LebertFitness.com or Amazon.
