A foot pedal assembly for an exercise machine. The foot pedal assembly includes a foot pedal or base having a longitudinally extending upper surface on which the user's foot rests and a strap the ends of which are coupled to opposite sides of the foot pedal so that the strap extends horizontally across the pedal in a position to maintain the user's foot in place. One end of the strap is coupled to a rotatable, square shaft which extends longitudinally, adjacent to a portion of one side of the foot pedal. The square shaft extends through an aperture in a knob with a one-way clutch being disposed between the shaft and the knob. The one-way clutch engages when the knob is rotated in a first direction to transmit rotation to the shaft to wind the strap thereabout tightening it about the user's foot. A release lever is hinged at one end to the foot pedal and extends horizontally underneath the foot pedal and square shaft. The release lever has a blocker mounted thereon which abuts a portion of the square shaft to block rotation of the shaft in the direction opposite to the first. When the release lever is depressed, the blocker is moved out of the path of rotation of the shaft to allow the shaft to be rotated in the second direction, unwinding the strap to loosen it.