It is no secret that most women are wearing the wrong sized bras on a day-to-day basis, but did you know you might also be wearing the wrong sized sports bra?
Why do you need a properly fitted sports bra?
If you don’t know, breasts are made up of tissue and fat that give your breasts their shape, but provide little to no support on their own. Whether you exercise once a year or you’re hitting the gym a few times a week, your breasts need proper support to avoid damage to the tissue and to help reduce the chance of developing saggy breasts or straining the girls.
Tips to help you pick a sports bra:
The best thing you can do is head to a store to be fitted properly once or twice a year as your body changes.
#1 Watch the band size – One of the most important parts of the fit is the band that sits around your rib cage. This is where most of the support comes from so try hunting down a band that hugs your body and sits firmly.
#2 Keep the girls in – When trying on sports bras, be sure to raise your arms above your head. If the girls start falling out the bottom, try looking at a cup size down.
#3 Encapsulation vs. Compression – compression sports bras are your old favourites that press your breasts to your body, mono-boob style. Encapsulation sports bras act more like your normal everyday bra with separate cups for each breast. If you ask us, we’d pick encapsulation for better support.
#4 Find a favourite and stock up – You wouldn’t have just one bra to get you through life, so don’t think you can do the same with a sports bra. Sports bras get as much of a work out as you do, so to prolong their already short lifespan, make sure you have 3 or 4 that you wear on rotation to stop the band stretching and keep your girls supported.
#5 What sort of activity are you doing? – A runner is going to need a different type of sports bra to a yogi, so make sure you look at options that best suit your go-to exercises.
#6 Think about the $$ – Unfortunately, sports bras are just another item that falls into the “you get what you pay for category”. Sports bras can range from $15 up to $120 so be prepared to spend a little extra cash if you are wanting a high-impact bra.
Read more fitness articles:
- 5 ways to motivate yourself to keep fit
- Getting fit without the gym
- How to get the most out of your exercise
- 9 ways to boost your energy
I’ve never actually been in to get the right bra size. But have started wearing postie plus sports bras. Omg these are so comfy compared to ones with the wire especially when the wire starts to come out and jabs you in the ribs I swear that’s why I gave up on them eh one too many times that had happened. Just hope I’m wearing the right size.
Great tip about the band size. I will certainly look at this when I go shopping next.
Never knew there was a term for that “mono boob” sports bra. I hated that when I got one that my mom bought for me. Encapsulation for the win! #5 tip wasn’t very specific about what works with a runner vs a light exercise…any tips?
I have started working out recently and my normal bras are not working for me. I haven’t actually had a proper bra fitting since I was 17 and was getting fitted for maternity bras! I really need to get some sports bras, thanks for the advice, it will really come in handy!
I so need a sports bra. I haven’t had a lot of luck finding one that fits right though. This has motivated me to go back to the search! There’s no point wearing a dress bra for a sports bra’s job.
This is a great article about what to look out for in a sports bra and stocking up when you find one you really like. Like it says the more you pay the better it usually will be. Also getting fitted properly is important in ensuring you have the right size and type for what it is for.
I hate sports bras! Mainly because I’m 46 and the girls are definitely not sittin’ where they used to!! Haha. But I think a lot of the sports bras now are heaps better with support and making them look a little perkier 🙂