Sports Bras

Hold ’em down without squishing them flat

Instead of supporting each of your girls separately, some (compression) bras attempt to tackle both sides with one solution. Extra tight material is used to hold breasts in place, which works, but only because it squishes everything flat, creating what’s known as uni-boob.

If you had cleavage before it now looks like you have one long breast that travels the full width of your chest. If your chest wasn’t that big to begin with you can end up looking completely flat.  It’s often recommended that smaller-chested women wear compression-style sports bras, where everything fits into one compartment, which really just means that these types of sports bras aren’t recommended for women with larger than average breasts.

You can get a sports bra that doesn’t squish

No matter your breast size you can buy sports bras with separate cups and even underwires. There are many styles that will lift you up or offer molded cups that provide a bit of help in the size area and prevent uni-boob from ruining your workout. Just make sure to do the jump test before you commit.

What to consider when buying a sports bra

• Breathability - A workout bra with mesh in all the right places -under the arms, in the center of the chest and the middle of the back - will keep you cool and dry.
• Material - No one’s denying cotton bras are comfy, but if you really work up a sweat when you exercise it’s a good idea to look for a bra made of high tech synthetic materials that will wick away moisture and dry quickly.
• Smooth seams - Run your fingers over the bra’s seams to feel for any rough spots. If you’re shopping online most brands are more than eager to go into detail about chafe-resistance offered by their products. Never buy a bra with seams that run across the nipples.
• Activity level - Most sports bras will indicate the level of activity they are meant for on the label. Low impact activities include walking and yoga, medium would cover spinning and speed walking and high impact activities are running and step aerobics.
• Closures - Some sports bras pull on over the head, while other have traditional hooks. Some women find pull-on-bras to be difficult to change in and out of, so consider what’s likely to be easier for you. If you do a lot of floor work, make sure any hooks are on the front or side instead of the back.
• Strap style - The two main sports bra strap styles are regular and racer back. Whatever you choose, be aware that wider straps are much more comfortable for women with bigger breasts.
  

Cost

Sports bras can be purchased for as little as $5 or $10, but sometimes it’s worth spending more to get a better quality product. Often fitness buffs own several styles and wear them during different activities. A three-pack of Fruit of the Loom sports bras costs less than $10, but can be perfect for working out in the weight room. But for high-impact classes or cardio machines you might want something with more stability. And that may mean shelling out up to $40 per bra.