Sports Bras – Looking after the girls

Whether you are new to exercise or you have changed the type of exercise you do, or it’s just that you are making an effort to get out and walk everyday, well done but have you thought about your equipment? I’m not talking weights here I’m talking boobs! When it comes to the cost of fitness wear prices can be crazy but the importance of getting the best quality you can afford is essential especially when it comes to looking after the girls!

Boob Talk – did you know your boobs are made up of connective, fatty tissue attached to the chest wall by fibrous strands called Cooper’s ligaments but they don’t have an internal structure to support them against gravity – this means that without structural support the breast tissue can experience irreparable damage.  At this point if you think because you have small breasts this doesn’t apply to you then I’m sorry to say it does – big or small if your breasts are allowed to bounce uncontrollably this will cause stretching of the ligaments which can lead to saggy boobs!

When it comes to choosing your sports bra you need to consider a number of things – 

  1. Your boobs – how big are they? If you are on the larger side you are more likely to need a really supportive bra such as a high impact bra if you’re a little smaller you could choose something less supportive (but see point 2 before you decide).
  2. What are you going to be doing? If you are going to run or do other high impact activities big or small you will need a high impact or compression bra. If you are doing Yoga or Pilates you may choose a lighter bra with more flexibility to allow for a fuller expansion of the ribs during your activity. 
  3. What type of bra are you comfortable in? Sports bras come in as many variations as your day to day bras – compression, encapsulation, racer backs, wired, non-wired, pullovers to name a few. Think about what type of bra you feel comfortable in although this can be a little trial and error in my experience –  you often won’t know which type of bra you like until you are halfway through your workout. (when you will either have forgotten all about it or have spent half the session fiddling with it to make it comfortable!)
  4. Get the right size –have your bra size professionally measured and fitted (I know not an option during isolation). Try on lots of bra too to see which type fits you best. If you can’t get measure right now it’s a good idea to order a few different bras to try them on and see what works for you. Plus be aware you will probably have one boob bigger then the other so always fit to your bigger boob. 

Here is a video to help you check your new bras are right when you are trying them on…

Also have a look at these hints and tips from Bravissimo to help you get the right bra

Whatever exercise you have taken up, I hope you are really enjoying it and if you ever fancy adding Pilates into your plan please get in touch.

I hope you found these tips helpful – if you would like more tips like this why not follow me on Facebook @Lisa Hutson Nutritional Therapy & Pilates or Instagram @lisahpilates / @lisahnutrition