Your Sports Bra Primer

Have you resolved to exercise more or to get active? An awesome goal to be sure, but part and parcel of taking care of ourselves means remembering to take care of our girls too,which starts with giving them the proper support.

Did you know that, unsupported, the average A-cup breast travels about an inch and half not only up and down but side to side and in and out with each running stride? A D-cup will bounce about two to three inches in each direction! That's a lot of movement for soft tissue that is held up only by skin and ligaments.

A good sports bra can cut that movement by more than half, by 53% to 59% for A's and D's respectively. By sparing these support structures undue wear and tear, you're preventing permanent stretching of this tissue that can cause your breast tissue to droop prematurely.

Getting the Right Support

So what's the trick to making sure you have the right support for working out? First, make sure you're wearing the right size. The number one fit mistake women make is wearing a smaller cup and larger band than you need. The right size bra is crucial to keeping your bounce in check; if you're wearing a sports bra that's too loose, it's essentially the same as being unsupported but if you're wearing a bra that's too tight, you'll have spillage.

70-80% of support should come from your band around the bottom, which is the foundation of a bra. It provides much of a bra's support and should fit snugly right underneath your bust. Wide bands are more supportive than narrow bands. Some bands feature clasps which allow you to tighten the band, vital for larger chests. A pullover type of sports bra typically covers more of the back than clasps would but, due to allover stretch, can lack the rigid straps and support to anchor large chests.

Shoulder straps hold up the cups but are not meant to be the main support of the bra. Straps should neither slip off nor press into your shoulders. Wide straps better disperse weight of larger cups and are more comfortable than thin straps. Adjustable straps allow you to customize the fit, while racer-back straps anchor the bra closer to the body, providing a good amount of support.

If you're new to sports bras or have had a recent fluctuation in body size, we have free custom fitting help for you. You can check out our online guide or call our fitting experts who will talk you through it at 1-866-352-4494.