Choosing the Best Sports Bra – How to choose a sports bra
Sports bar reduces the breasts’ movement, improves your comfort and support, and does not deter you from undertaking your favorite activity. Wearing a bra that does not fit can lead to problems such as soreness, basic discomfort, chafing, soft tissue damage, tense pain in the shoulders, and breathing problems. So, you must know How to choose a sports bra that suits you.
Most women experience some breast injury from tissue moving up and down or in and out while working out. Ample breast support prevents ligaments from getting elongated, which brings about premature loss of elasticity and stretch marks. These reasons may discourage women from working out or buying sports bras in general.
Finding the right sports bra is not an easy task for most women because bra sizing is not consistent across all brands. Since there is no universal standard of bra sizes, ensure that you try out various sizes, brands, and styles until you find the right fit. Here are tips on finding the perfect sports that fit your size and your activity.
Finding the Right Bra for Any Activity – How to Choose a Sports Bra
The first step in finding the perfect sports bra is to determine the type of activity you will be doing. There are three levels of support that sports bras offer, including low, medium, and high, depending on the sport’s impact level. The level of support increases with the level of impact of the activity you are performing.
Mountain biking, aerobic, and other activities with a high impact like running require a sports bra that offers more support to reduce excessive movement of the breast. You may not need a lot of support for activities with low-impact such as yoga that require less intense exercises.
Ultimately, the type of sports bra you choose will depend on your cup size and the type of exercise. Women with larger breasts busts may need to consider getting a sports bra that offers greater support even for doing activities with a low-or medium-impact. A good sports bra should feel comfortable, fit well and suit your preferences and personal style.
Low-Medium Impact Sports Bras
These are generally used to perform activities with a low impact such as walking, yoga, and strength training. Medium impact activities include dancing, moderate hiking, skiing, cycling. Low impact sports bras features include narrow bands and straps and a compression design that restricts excessive movement of the breasts.
Medium impact sports bras have wider straps and bands and offer more breast restriction than low-support bras. There are two types available, i.e., encapsulation bras with different cups that define the breast shape. Compression styles bras hold breasts closely to the chest wall and are ideal for A/B cups.
High Impact Sports Bra
They are used for activities with a high-impact such as aerobics, running, and mountain biking. They feature a defined cup structure similar to regular bras to enclose and support each breast. They also have wide bands and adjustable shoulder straps.
Having different sets of sports bras for various activities will help to extend their use. You can easily sort out a bra since popular brands classify their sports bras by the level of impact.
How to Find Your Bra Size – How to Choose a Sports Bra
It is important to regularly take your measurements since your bra size is affected by changes in your body like loss and weight gain, hormones, aging, and pregnancy. This means that you will have different sizes of bra throughout your life.
Snug
A good sports bra should fit you more tightly than a regular bra but should not be too tight that it restricts breathing. One way of measuring your bra is by fitting two fingers between the straps and your shoulders. If your fingers do not fit, then the bra is too tight.
Smooth Fabric Cups
The cup’s fabric should not be wrinkled as this usually indicates that the cup is too big. The cup fabric should be smooth, and you can determine if the bra is too small if you are spilling out.
Measure Your Ribcage
In order to measure your ribs, you will need various items like a tape measure. It is also advisable to wear a bra that maintains your breasts shape and or measure without one.
Ensure that the tape measure is snug but not too tight to get accurate measurements. Round down the measurements to the nearest full inch.
Determine Your Band Size
Your band size is determined by the results of your rib cage measurements.
Determine your Cup Size – How to choose a sports bra
Before we continue, ensure that you measure your busts with focus on the fullest part. The tape measure should not be too tight but snug to allow breathing. The difference between your rib cage measurement and your bust measurement is your cup size.
Difference in Cup size Your Cup Size
3 inches AA
4 inches A
5 inches B
6 inches C
7 inches D
8 inches DD
9 inches E
Tips for Getting the Perfect Fit
After determining the first step, you need to try out various brands and styles to find the one that fits. It is always advisable to shop in person so that you can test and have a general feel of the sports bra. Shopping online presents its unique challenges, and you should view the size chart that comes you’re your sports bra that you want to determine if it will fit you.
A good sports bar should feel snug and secure and be comfortable enough for you to breathe freely. A small sports bra will have your breasts spilling over the side or on top. Here are tips to ensure that your sports bra is the perfect fit.
Test the Band
The sports bra’s band is essential in supporting your breasts to ensure that fits tightly in your ribcage. You can test this by fitting two fingers between the band and your body. If you raise your hands up over your head and the band rides up, it is a sign that it is probably too big.
It is advisable to go for wider bands rather than narrow bands since they offer more support. You can try hook-and-loop closures if you are looking for a customized fit for more support.
Adjust the Straps
There should be as little as possible up-and-down movement in your straps to make you feel comfortable and secure during your exercise. One way to check whether your strands are safe is by trying to fit two fingers between your shoulders and the straps. If the fingers do not fit, then you may need a bigger sports bra.
Your straps should provide the perfect fit where they are not too tight or too loose. If you find that your straps are digging into your skin, then they are probably too tight wile if they are slipping off your shoulders and allow a lot of bouncing, they are probably too loose.
Check the Cups
To reduce movements and provide more comfort, make sure that your breasts are centered and fully encapsulated in the cups. You can scoop your breasts and place them at the center of the cups and ensure that they are covered entirely for greater support.
Move Around
You can test your bra by jumping around and swinging your arms to see if it is comfortable. If your breasts do not feel secure or if you experience any pain or discomfort, you should try another sports bra.
How to stop Sports Bra chafing
Bra chafing is the friction caused by rubbing by a poorly fitted bra, sensitive skin, excessive sweating, or exercising in hot weather. You can protect yourself from chaffing by applying petroleum jelly to the area, applying a layer of padding or omnifix tape. Ensure that your bra is fitting firmly to reduce the movement against your skin.
Chaffing under your breasts near the underwire can be prevented by ensuring the underwire is placed flat against your ribcage. Having a firm ribcage band helps to prevent chaffing under your breasts along the ribcage. This can also help to reduce chaffing near the hook and eye clasp.
You can also deal with chafing by getting rid of old bras and using a sports bra with a soft band to minimize friction. Switching between different styles when performing activities with a high impact can help to deal with chafing.
Features of Sports Bra
People have different preferences when it comes to the style and material of a sports bra. Here are some common sports bra features to look for.
Seamless Design
Most sports bras have a smooth design that helps to extend the lifespan of sports bras. This type of stitching strengthens the bra to reduce wear and tear on commonly stretched areas during movement.
Ventilation
Many sports bras have a cutout detailing or mesh paneling on the side. This allows natural air to flow in as your train.
Underwire
Just like regular bras, sports bras feature a flexible underwire to provide better shape and support. The underwire should not pinch or poke but lay parallel to your ribcage just beneath the breast tissue.
Moisture-Wicking Technology
This garment technology helps to keep you fresh and dry. It uses synthetic microfibers to remove sweat from your skin and transfer it to the garment surface.
Types of Straps
Sports bras come with various strap styles that serve both functional and aesthetic reasons. Racerback style straps meet in the back. They provide a supportive fit for activities with a high impact.
Tank top strap style is adjustable to allow you to adjust for more support. They also include a back closure that provides additional adjustment.
Crisscross straps crisscross in the back and usually offer less support. They can conceal easily for more aesthetic value, and they can also be adjusted for more support.
Compressions and Encapsulation
Compression bras snug against the chest by using fabric to press your breasts tightly against your body to reduce movement. They can be used for activities with a low impact by people with larger cup sizes. They are also excellent for activities with a high impact for people with smaller cup sizes.
Encapsulating offer support to each individual breast using separate cups. They have a similar style to normal bras. They are good for activities with a high impact for people with larger busts.
Fabrics
Sports bras are made from a variety of fabrics. Spandex sports are very common and due to their elasticity. Cotton bras are breathable and soft but have high levels of perspiration. Microfiber sports bras are made of thin synthetic fiber that is known for its moisture-wicking ability.
Best Sports Bra for Light Impact
Hanes Comfortflex Stretch Cotton Sports Bra
This lightweight sports bra has a four-way stretch fabric and is ideal for strength training and yoga. It is made of 95% cotton and 5% spandex that moves with you.
Free To Be Bra Wild
This sports bra is ideal for women with smaller cup sizes. It features a moisture-wicking, smooth fabric that improves your comfort. It offers high coverage and has slick and low friction support.
Best Sports Bras for Medium Impact
FITTIN Racerback Sports Bra
It features racerback straps with wide shoulders for extra support. It is made up of 62% nylon, 30% polyester, and 8% spandex. It also offers a pull-on closure and provides moisture and heat management through ventilation.
Panache Underwire Sports Bra
This a comfy and supportive bra for anyone looking for a medium-impact bra with great aesthetic qualities. It features wide, padded straps with inner molded caps. It is made of 48% polyamide, 38% polyester, and 14% elastane.
Best Sports Bras for High Impact
Yianna Women’s High Impact Sports Bra
It is made of 87% polyester and 13% spandex. It features a pull-on closure and a unique design with crisscross back straps for extra support and to boost fashion and style. It also has moisture-wicking technology to keep your body dry and cool.