How to choose the right sports bra

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Did you know that this year it was the 40th anniversary of the first general exercise bra? It was invented by Lisa Lindahl, and a theatre costume designer, Polly Smith, along with the help of their friend Hinda Miller in the costume shop of The Royal Tyler Theatre at the University of Vermont.  

 It wasn't easy though because try as they might, the women couldn't figure out how to make a bra that could stop the painful bounce when jogging. At one point, Lindahl's then husband came downstairs with two jockstraps slung over his chest. He was teasing them, but it led to an idea. Miller went straight to the shops, purchased two jockstraps and brought them back to the costume shop. The waist band became the bra's rib band, the straps were crossed over the back and then the rest went over the head and that was the creation of the first exercise bra. They almost called their creation the 'Jockbra', but decided on the 'Jogbra' instead ' and that was it! 

Things have come a long way since then and nowadays women have all kinds of options when it comes to their sports bras. Although unfortunately women can quite often spend a fortune on gym membership and snazzy new kit, but miss the most vital piece of exercise equipment of all ' a good quality sports bra. 

 Some people will wonder what all the fuss is about, but the facts speak for themselves: 

Breasts are mostly composed of fatty tissue and are supported mainly by skin and fragile ligaments called 'Coopers' ligaments'. These ligaments are NOT elastic and during repetitive or high impact sport the breasts bounce and pull on these ligaments forcing them to stretch. Once these ligaments have stretched they stay this way. The result is every woman's nightmare ' sagging breasts! Not only that, but going without the correct support can also cause breast pain, upper back and shoulder problems. 

Did you know that running without any bra at all can cause the average woman's breasts to move up and down by 8.5cm. Wearing an ordinary bra will reduce this by 32%. A sports bra reduces this by at least another 20%.  

I know that women with smaller breasts consider themselves not to need the extra support of a sports bra, but research has shown that even breasts sized 34A need extra support during sport to avoid damage. 

 TOP TIPS TO PURCHASING A SPORTS BRA: 

So where do you start when it comes to purchasing a sports bra? Here are some essential tips to find the best sports bra for you: 

GET MEASURED

Workout gear is made from technical, durable fabrics, so instead of reaching for your regular underwear size, get measured to ensure that you're wearing the right size. Due to the fact that brands tend to size their bras differently, you can't always rely on your size in one style to be the perfect fit in similar offerings from different brands. To take the tediousness out of getting measured for each and every sportswear brand out there, head to a department store or a or specialist lingerie retailer that stocks a variety of different brands to get measured. Or alternatively ask the manufacturer of your chosen brand guidance before buying.  

BE PREPARED TO PAY MORE 

This applies particularly to bustier women, although generally I would say in my experience when it comes to sports bras you do get what you pay for. While it may feel like a con, paying more for the right fit is important to supporting your back, minimising the strain on your neck and shoulders, holding your bust secure, and preserving your delicate breast tissue. 

FUNCTION OVER FASHION 

Sacrificing style for fit and comfort can be hard, because let's face it we all want to look good, even if it's just whilst jogging round your local park. Although, function should always be foremost in your mind when shopping for a sports bra. While you have options with fabric and colour ways, be mindful of important features like comfortable and adjustable shoulder straps, supportive cups, and durable fastenings.' 

WEAR IT IN 

If you aren't used to wearing a cupped sports bra, it can take some getting used to. High-impact support bras are required to hold you secure without squishing you down while you're being active and to do that they usually have a snug-fitting band and high cups. If your bra feels a little constricting to begin with, try breaking it in by wearing it around the house for a few hours before you work out in it.' 

HANDWASH IT 

If you spend enough money on your sportswear, you'll appreciate it enough to want to' wash every item correctly. Always adhere to the manufacturers garment label. While there are arguments for both hand and machine washing, the former does give best results. The agitation and high temperatures of machine washing can contribute to the breakdown of the elastic fibres in your sports bra, while hand-washing allows you more control of the temperature, force, and amount of detergent you use to'wash your delicates. 

WHICH MANUFACTURERS ARE THE BEST? 

Having been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and not having the smallest of busts (34D) I have worn virtually every make of sports bra out there! Here's my top two that are around at the moment. Although it is very important to remember that everyone has a completely individual body and shape, these are MY personal recommendations from my own experiences. 

ANITA ' AIR CONTROL PADDED SPORTS BRA 

In my opinion this is the best sports bra on the market at the moment. It's a new one to Anita and is already scooping up the awards and I can see why. I was extremely surprised considering it was a non-wired sports bra. 

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In my opinion this is the best sports bra on the market at the moment. It's a new one to Anita and is already scooping up the awards and I can see why. I was extremely surprised considering it was a non-wired sports bra. 

It stays in place! No riding up underneath the breasts. Which is a first for me in a conventionally shaped sports bra that doesn't have underwire!

It also gives great support for high impact activities, whilst also giving shape to the bustline. So many sports bras seem to strap the breasts to the chest and forget that you would still like to maintain your feminine shape. 

The only thing letting down this particular bra at the moment is its lack of choice of colours!  It's a hefty price tag, but for me I feel it's worth the price' the saying you get what you pay for springs to mind. 

SHOCK ABSORBER ' ULTIMATE RUN BRA 

This has always been my go to favourite for many years and before the above Anita one for me there wasn't one on the market that came close. It is a great racer back with the added benefit that it's relatively easy to get in AND out of ' I'm sure there are many of you who have fought trying to get sweaty sports bras off in the changing room! 

Extremely supportive for high impact sports. There are loads of choices of colour, so you can tone with your gym kit too! 

The two things that let it down compared to the Anita bra are the fact that it can get uncomfortable both around the rib cage and the shoulders if worn for any length of time. Also, it doesn't give you quite the cleavage shape that the Anita one does.  

In summary, for me you get what you pay for, but if your budget doesn't stretch to the Anita Air Control then this Shock Absorber Ultimate Run Bra is a great 2nd place. 

Sports bras are usually labelled as suitable for low/medium/high impact and we have found over the years that this can cause some confusion amongst the wearers. The language speaks directly to the level of exercise that you are planning to undertake, the levels of 'impact' relate to the intensity of the exercise and the breasts movement during the sporting activity. So basically high impact activity requires a high level of support and so on.

Examples of exercises that are high, medium and low impact include:

High ' Running, Tennis, Zumba, Horse riding,

Medium ' Skiing, Hiking, Cycling/Spinning,

Low ' Thai Chi, Pilates, Rollerblading.

Choosing your level of support has nothing to do with your cup size however, for instance the idea that ladies with a smaller bust can get away with low impact bras for every kind of sport is simply not true. Similarly the idea that a larger cup size lady shouldn't use a low impact sports bra is also inaccurate.

This is because breast damage is caused by breast movement, not size. If the body is moving up and down then so is the breast ' with a delay. All good bra manufacturers construct bras for smaller or larger sizes in a different way, for larger sizes there will be features such as extra lining in the cup, side supports, reinforced wider straps etc.  If the bra is well constructed with the right fabrics they will still have the choice of impact level. Some full breasted ladies are self conscious and prefer to wear the highest level of support for confidence and if they are more comfortable doing this, that's fine.

It can be worth buying a second bra in a larger size to accommodate for fluctuation in breast size caused by hormonal cycle. As sports bras are made of strong fabrics with minimal stretch it can be very uncomfortable to force swollen, tender breasts into a bra made of a rigid fabric.

Since Sports bras are designed for performance ' aesthetics are a secondary consideration however some bras suit different body shapes by design. Smaller shoulders often prefer racer backs, fuller busts ' regular straps. The best advice is to try it on, jump around and make sure you feel comfortable and confident.

Perspiration affects a bras comfort; therefore sports bras should have a sweat management system. Cups lined with soft, absorbent fabrics to wick moisture away from the breast, if there is no cup lining you risk exposed seams rubbing on a sweaty breast which can lead to soreness and discomfort.

Generally speaking non padded bras are more supportive ' a pad is pre formed and unless the breast fits perfectly within it, the breast will move around inside it. The pad also creates a barrier between the breast and compression fabric on the exterior which reduces support. However new innovations such as the patented Anita delta pad are designed in a triangular form to ensure the benefit of padding for preventing nipple show and giving shape, but removing the ability for the breast to move in the pad. This means support is not reduced as compression can still be applied all over the breast.

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