Why Should I Wear a Sports Bra?
The simple reason is the right sports bra helps us protect our breasts. During any physical activity our breasts move. Up and down. Side to side. Even in a figure of eight. This repetitive physical activity can cause soreness, pain and the dreaded sagging, because our breasts have no muscle. No matter what size your breasts, everyone(...yes everyone) experiences bouncing during physical activity.
Whether it's high or low impact activity or training support is everything. So doesn't having something on your side, specifcally designed to move with you and help you get the best from your exercise sound like a good idea? We think so too!
What's the difference?
Sports bras were created to help women to perform better while taking part in sport and physical activity. Some of the best sports bras you can buy reduce bounce (yes, it's a technical term) by up to 83%! This is something your regular bra just won't do. Our breasts are made from some pretty delicate stuff. They have no muscle and very little built in natural support. Having the right sport's bra reduces movement and gives us the support we need. Without it the skin and Cooper's ligament (these are the ligaments near the breasts which give us size and shape) will start to break down. This causes sagging.
What the Science says...
The science around sports bras is ever increasing with brands investing in perfecting the sports bra with every new style and design. Due to the fact that as little as 60% movement in your breasts can cause irreversable damage, we're so happy that they're doing this!! Other than breast ptosis (breat sag), the other consequence of not having the right support is mastalgia (breast pain). Single large movements in our breast tissue, or small movements over time, can cause breast pain which is a huge detterent for women looking to stay active.On top of this sports bras have been proven to help us exercise more effectivley. Improving our performance. If our breasts aren't supported correctly, our bodies have to work harder. Muscle activity in our upper bodies is increased to help counteract the movement in our breasts. Our breathing patterns also change when we exercise without a sports bra. Becoming shorter and quicker affecting how well our bodies can perform.If that's not enough, our whole body movements change when not wearing the right bra to exercise. Research from the University of Portsmouth has shown that women, on average, lost 4cm in their stride when wearing the incorrect bra for exercise. Not only that, it affected a range of other movements from decreased arm and body rotation to the strike pattern in our feet when running.
Picking the Right Sport Bra
There's a few things to consider when picking the right sports bra. But above all make sure you're comfortable. You're going to be moving, stretching, sweating! So make sure your sport's bra fits and feels right for you. Some tips on what to look out for:
Move - Test it out when you try it on. Don't be afriad to copy some of the movements you do when exercising. Jog on the spot and do a few stretches. You'll know when something doesn't feel right!Fit - Make sure that the band is a firm fit and nice and level around your body. It should move with you rather than on it's own.Straps - The straps should never dig in, but should also not slip off your shoulder. Make sure they sit nice and comfortably. If you have slightly borader shoulders a cross strap might be a good idea!Cup - Your breast should fill the whole cup. No bulging, no wrinkling. The material should be as smooth as possible to maximise support.Comfort - Make sure you're comfortable. No matter how good your sports bras is, if you don't feel comfortable then you won't wear it. Make sure you feel good in it; get out there and get active!
Wearing a sports bra is a must when we exercise. But rememeber. Picking the right one is as important as picking the right new trainiers. Comfort, fit and a little bit stylish. Take a look at our range of sports bras and get active with confidence.
Find your fit!
Finding the perfect comfortable bra can be a challenge at the best of times. To help make things easier we've put together a measurement guide to help you choose the right bra for you, whether shopping online from home or in-store.