Yoga strap

A yoga strap is a length of sturdy cotton or nylon webbing, usually with a buckle or loop, used to extend the reach of the arms in stretches and binds. Its main job is letting a stretch happen with a straight spine instead of forcing a rounded reach for the toes or a hand that will not close around the foot.

The classic use is a reclined hamstring stretch: looping the strap around the ball of the foot while lying on the back lets the leg extend toward the ceiling with the shoulders and head staying relaxed on the floor. The same principle applies in shoulder openers and standing binds, where a strap bridges the gap between two hands that cannot yet reach each other.

Straps come in different lengths and buckle styles, and a longer strap generally suits taller bodies or deeper binds better than a short one. A common mistake is pulling hard on the strap to force extra range, when the more useful approach is holding a comfortable, steady length and breathing through it, since forcing depth tends to make muscles tighten rather than release.