Never underestimate the power of a good sports bra; the benefits are huge, and they look great, too! Gone are the days of buying a smaller bra in the hope of fastening your girls down or even using tape to contain their activity while still suffering pain and discomfort playing sports or working out.
Thankfully, over the last few years, scientific developments and the range of sports bra styles and colours have rocketed. We are now spoilt for choice – so why do you need a sports bra, and how do you choose the right one?
A good sports bra provides support and stability by minimising the movement of your breasts (especially when doing high-impact exercise). It can help minimise potential injuries in your back, neck and shoulders. A well-fitted exercise bra provides the necessary support to reduce movement, helping to prevent discomfort and potential damage to breast tissue.

What to look for when choosing your perfect bra

Fitting

Make sure the bra fits snugly but isn’t too tight. The band should sit level on your body and not ride up.

The straps should be adjustable and comfortable on your shoulders. You should be able to fit two fingers between the straps and your shoulders. The sports bra should be snug but not dig in or pinch the skin.

Be comfortable

Look for a breathable fabric that will keep you dry; seamless or flat seams can minimise the risk of painful chafing. Choosing a bra with wider straps will give you the proper support without digging into your skin.

Support

Determine the level of support you need based on your activity and breast size. The type of exercise you do significantly impacts the level of support you will need. For high impact exercise and contact sports (e.g. running, rugby, martial arts, HIIT, high impact aerobics) go for high/max support bras.
For medium impact exercise (e.g. cycling, dancing) go for medium support bras.
For low impact exercise (e.g. walking, yoga, pilates) go for low impact bras.

Sizing

Your bra size will change several times over your lifetime. Weight loss or gain, pregnancy and hormones will affect it.

It’s well worth re-checking your current size and do consider having it measured professionally.

Sports bras can lose elasticity over time, so be careful when washing and replace them as soon as you feel you lack the support you need. Having spent a large amount of time e-searching for
THE perfect sports bra, I recommend checking out the links below.

Happy sweating! Sarah x

• boobydoo.co.uk
• sweatybetty.com
• fabletics.co.uk
• underarmour.co.uk
• bravissimo.com do a great range of sports bras for D cups and up.

Sarah Maxwell is a multi-award winning Lifestyle Wellbeing and Fitness coach. You can find her at sarahmaxwell.com
Get in touch via email at sarahmaxwell@mail.com
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