How to Choose Sports Bras
No matter what the sport, the most important piece of clothing a woman can wear is a sports bra. A good-fitting style will provide support and comfort so you can forget you're wearing it and focus on your sport. Wearing an ill-fitting sports bra is not only uncomfortable, but can cause permanent breast tissue damage.
- Choose a couple different styles of sports bras for different activities.
- A wide band and shoulder straps will provide more support.
- Make sure there isn't any chafing around the armholes, hooks or straps.
Sports Bra Styles
Your body type and activities will determine which type of sports bra is best for you.
Taking your body type into consideration (whether you're small-, medium- or large-breasted), you can find a sports bra designed for either low-, medium- or high-impact activities.
- Low-impact activities include hiking, cycling, weight training and yoga.
- Medium-impact activities include fast walking, skiing and inline skating.
- High-impact activities include running, aerobics and mountain biking.
Types of Sports Bras
- Shimmels are tank tops with an integral shelf bra that provides support for low- or medium-impact activities.
- Compression sports bras come in two basic options. Scoop-back styles work well for small- and medium-breasted women during low- or medium-impact activities. Racer-back styles are more supportive and are for medium- and high-impact activities. Thin spaghetti straps provide less support than wider straps.
- Encapsulation style sports bras separate and support to avoid the "uni-boob" look. They provide larger-breasted women excellent support for medium- and high-impact activities.
Features to Consider
It's smart to equip yourself with several different styles of sports bras for different activities—some with more support for high-impact activities, and some less constrictive ones for low-impact activities. Consider the following features:
- Wicking and breathability are important to move moisture away from your skin and keep you comfortable. The more supportive a sports bra is, the less effective it will be at wicking moisture because of sturdier fabric and construction.
- A wide band around the bottom is necessary for high-impact activities since it provides more support than narrow bands.
- Wide shoulder straps also provide more support and are less likely to cut into your shoulders during high-impact activities.
Test for Fit
Sports bras should fit tighter than regular bras, but they shouldn't be too tight. When trying on a sports bra, check the following things:
- There should be no chafing around the armholes, shoulder straps or seams. If the sports bra has hooks or snaps, make sure those don't chafe, either.
- The straps shouldn't dig into your shoulders.
- To make sure you have the right size, raise your hands over your head. If the elastic band moves up your rib cage, you need a smaller size.
- Test the bra's support by jumping or running in place. You'll be able to feel whether it's sufficiently supportive or not.
How to Determine Your Size
- First: Measure around your rib cage, just under your breasts. Add 5 and round to the nearest even number. This is your band size.
- Next: Measure loosely around your bust at the fullest part. Be sure your tape stays straight across your back. Round to the nearest whole number.
- Finally: Subtract your band size from your bust measurement. Use the resulting number to determine your cup size as follows:
- 1" difference = A cup
- 2" difference = B cup
- 3" difference = C cup
- 4" difference = D cup
- 5" difference = DD cup
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