Girls! How to Pick the Right Sports Bra

Embodying an active lifestyle shouldn't mean parting with comfort and the support of bras. Floundering around a store without proper guidance of what constitutes a flawlessly fitted sports bra will mostly likely be a fruitless endeavor. Knowing how to pick the appropriate bra for the occasion will ensure your focus to be on your active lifestyle than the rather apparent exasperating discomfort of an ill-fitted sports bra.


Why Pick the Right Sports Bra?

These bras are designed for varying levels of impact, and understanding the exact purpose of sports bras will ensure appropriate support. They offer low, medium, and high support/impact:

• *Low support: best used for activities such as walking. Yoga, and strength training

• *Medium support: best used for activities such as for moderate hiking and road cycling

• *High support: best used for activities such as running, mountain biking and aerobics

Design Features:

Compression or Encapsulation:

Sports bras are categorized as either encapsulation or compression bras.

• Encapsulation offer individual and supportive cups (similar to regular bras), and are best for low impact activities.

• Compression, as the name indicates, compresses the chest to heavily restrict movement and work best for medium and high impact activities.

The Band

As with any regular bra, the majority of support comes from the band. It should fit flat against your chest and ribcage to minimize movement. Test out your bra by taking in a deep breath; if it still fits comfortably, you're on your way to picking the right sports bra. Remember, these should fit more firmly than regular bras.

The Straps:

The straps should not be creasing your shoulders. If it does, then an ill-fitted bra will provide support from the straps as opposed to the band..Look for straps with minimal stretch to ensure comfort and marginal motion. Adjustable straps also allow for customizable fit and can be often attuned to accommodate body fluctuations

What to Look For:

Hooks & Closures

They also offer either hook closures at the back or a simply pull on form for fit. The pullover style, while providing the same fit, might be more tedious to remove. Back closure hooks provide ease for the wearer, especially for high impact bras. Depending on the activity and the type of required support, an appropriate style should be selected.

Material:

The features of this type of bra are just as essential as the fit itself. Moisture-wicking material (e.g. synthetic) allows for quick evaporation to optimize your comfort to keep moisture away from the skin. Cup padding should also provide stability along with the band and strap.

Picking the right sports bra ensures comfort during continuous movement. An ill-fitted one will not only give minimal support but also leave you vulnerable to potential health-related injuries. While there is no clear-cut process to figuring out the perfect fit, looking out for the above mentioned features and designs will certainly have you enjoying your active life desirably more.

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