Are Sports Bras Necessary?

Why Sports Bras are Necessary

Breasts don’t contain muscle: instead, your breasts contain ligaments, and once those ligaments have become stretched, there is no going back! Ligaments have little to no elasticity, so if they're stretched they won't just snap back into shape. The result? Saggy breasts, which will remain saggy. Not a good look!

While normal bras are designed to support the breasts, they're designed to support them through a normal day's activity – walking, sitting and stretching. A hard workout, or even a short job, involves vigorous activity which is much more than your day-to-day bra is built to handle.

A sports bra, on the other hand, will support the breasts through even the toughest of workouts, meaning no stretching and no sagging! This aside, however, there is another reason why a sports bra is a good investment: quite simply, exercise can hurt. If your breasts are bouncing around unsupported for long periods of time, you could find yourself in serious pain. What more reason do you need?

Fitting Your Sports Bra

Just as you wouldn't exercise without the right type of athletic shoes, it's important not to exercise without the right type of bra. While getting the right fit is important with any bra, it becomes even more important when you're choosing a sports bra.

Did you know that a huge percentage of women are wearing the wrong size of bra? It's easy to select the wrong size, so use your sports bra purchase as an excuse to go and be measured professionally. Once you know your correct size, go back and be measured every year or so: your shape doesn't stay the same throughout your life and neither does your bra size!

Selecting a Sports Bra

While we tend to pick out "normal" bras for looks as much as for comfort, when you're buying a sports bra it should be comfort all the way. These bras aren't designed to be sexy or pretty, so forget about how it looks and concentrate on how it feels!

The material your sports bra is made of is important. You're likely to be working up a sweat while you're wearing it, so choose something lightweight and absorbent. Next, make sure that the bra is absolutely comfortable, with no areas which chaffe against the skin. If it's not comfortable now, it will be even less comfortable after a workout!

The straps should be firm, and shouldn't slip down your shoulders, while the back of your bra shouldn't ride up your back. If in doubt, try jogging on the spot to make sure that the bra is comfortable, and that it does its job of keeping everything in place!