Excessive breast movement and bounce while jogging, running, or performing Yoga or any other sports activity, creates a lot of inconvenience to women. It does not just distract their focus from whatever they are doing but also leads to a great deal of discomfort. In many cases, they undergo soreness, pain, and chafing, which is an apparent barrier to their sporting goals. Not surprisingly, this is due to the imperfect bra size and type selected. A good-fitting sports bra, thus, becomes imperative for women, irrespective of their age. As breast sizes and shapes vary from woman to woman, selecting the right sports bra is of great importance.
Bras are not one-size-fits-all undergarments. Although serving the same pursuit—minimizing the breast movement and maximizing the wearer’s comfort—bras are, indeed, specific to purposes, such as Yoga, cycling, running, and more. Not all women know how to choose a bra for the sports they have interests in. The selection, in most cases, remains attributable to the design, colour, and fabric of the bra.
These are, of course, crucial factors to count on when choosing a sports bra, but not having size into consideration may lead to a missing feminine appeal, sporty feel, and comfort. Here is what you can do to choose the perfect sports bra for you. Since bra sizes are inconsistent across locals and brands with no universal standards, try on as many brands and styles as you can in a store until you find the best fit.
The level of support you need
Firstly, sportswomen need to consider the type of sports and activity they will be doing. Sports bras provide three levels of support, from low to medium and high, depending on the impact of the sport. Make a note that the higher the impact (bounces, jumps, and movements) is, the more support you will likely be in need.
- Low-impact sports bras
For Yoga, strength training, walking, and other activities that produce a low degree of bouncing, low-impact sports bras are an ideal choice. They do not have cups built and hold the bust close to the chest with a smooth grip, not as tightly as the high-impact ones. Women with small busts will find these bras super comfortable and supportive.
- Medium-impact sports bras
Medium-impact sports bras suit well for women of all cup sizes. Bands and straps are relatively wide to provide the body with additional support and a snug fit. They may be your go-to for both low and high-impact activities based on your bust size, level of support, and lift you will require. Choose them if you are into weight training, Yoga, hiking, cycling, or jogging.
- High-impact sports bras
Vigorous sports like aerobics, running, weight lifting, wrestling, and boxing involve lots of bounces, jumps, grapples, and power. For such activities, breasts require firm grips and extra support for comfort. High-impact sports bras are ideal fit for such activities.
How to find the right size?
Slight changes in breast size should not surprise anyone. Your size does not necessarily remain the same all the time; it may change over months or years depending on your ever-changing diet, workout routine, and levels of fitness. So, it is imperative to measure your cup size and ribcage size correctly every time you need to purchase a bra.