A sports bra has much harder job than an everyday regular bra. When it comes running, strength training, or all kind of sports, you will want to make sure you are wearing a sports bra that is specifically made for the activities.
A good sports bra is as important as a pair of good running shoes. Your breasts need to be held firmly in position to minimise bouncing around which causes discomfort, irritation, stretching the Cooper’s ligaments. If your breasts are not properly supported, this can lead to stretching, sagging, and even back and neck issues over time.
Whether you like it or not, you should forgo your normal bra when working out. A good sports bra should give you a smooth outline without unsightly pull over the cups or around your back, and the straps need to be wide enough to fit and support your breast snugly.
Do you know if your sports bra does not fit you well and yet you keep exercising while wearing it, it can lead to musculoskeletal pain?
Here are the five things that you can look for in the perfect Under Armour sports bra:
1. First, what is the type of activity you will be doing?
Before buying a sports bra, you should first consider the type of activity you will be doing.
If you’re unsure about the suitable sports bra you should be getting, Under Armour carries a wide range of sports bra which will meet your needs. When entering any Under Armour Brand House, you will be able to notice a simple test which allows you to find out your most suitable sports bra.
Step 1: Select your everyday bra size.
Step 2: Select the type of training you are into.
Step 3: Select your biggest complaint about sports bras.
The results will show you a guideline on the ideal sports bra from Under Armour.
2. Finding the purpose of your sports bra.
Sports bras come in a variety of styles, which dictate the support, fit, and versatility they have to offer.
The higher impact the activity, the more support a sports bra needs to provide. Higher impact exercise means more intense movement, which leads to greater movement of the breast tissue.
Therefore, sports bras are designed to provide three levels of support – low, medium, and high – depending on the impact level of the sports. The higher the impact, the more support you will need.
- Low-impact sports bras provide minimal, gentle compression and support. They are generally lightweight and feature narrower shoulder straps, removable cups, or no padding at all. Low-impact bras can also provide support for lower intensity workouts with less bounce such as yoga, pilates, and weightlifting.
- Medium-impact sports bra offer a moderate level for support and coverage. Medium-impact sports bras are suitable for most runners who don’t want a highly compressive fit. Activities like hiking, cross-training, and road cycling require a sports bra that will restrict breasts movement more than a low support bra does.
- High-impact sports bra provide maximum compressive support for high-impact activities that cause more bouncing and multi-directional breast movement. Women with larger cup sizes find that high-impact sports bras offer optimal bounce-free support during running, interval training, and other high-intensity workouts such as mountain biking.
3. Finding the perfect straps design that suits your body shape.
No one wants to keep adjusting the bra strap while working out.
Most sports bras are made with wide elastic straps that should stay in place. The type of activity you are doing will indicate how secure your straps need to be.
You want to pick the model that is most comfortable for your body shape, whether that’s a racerback, crossback or strap-up. The straps need to be wide enough to fit and support your breast snugly.
- Crossback sports bras come together in the back to form a criss-cross shape that allows for an increased range of motion. This style typically has some adjustment features to aid in a secure fit and can help prevent the straps from slipping.
- Racerback sports bras are those where the bra straps criss-cross at the back like an X and allow for more mobility and freedom of movement. This style is usually not adjustable and is pulled over the head, which is why women with smaller busts find these bras comfortable and easier to wear and remove after running.
- Strap-up spots bras feature adjustable criss-cross straps for a custom fit. The UA Infinity High Heather Sports Bra has fully adjustable convertible straps that can be configured into a racerback or a tank style. The idea here is to easily convert the bra from a racerback style to a regular back style giving you the best of both worlds.
4. Finding your correct sports bra size.
Your bra size keeps changing throughout your life. Hormone changes, weight changes, and age can all impact the size of your breast. All you need is a tape measure to figure out your bra size before heading to the shop.
Under Armour has all the bra sizes for you.
Step 1: Find your band size.
Take the measurement just above your breasts. Round down to the nearest whole number and record the measurement.
Step 2: Measure your bust.
Measure around the fullest part of your bust. Keep the tape straight across your back. Round up to the nearest whole number.
Step 3: Find your cup size.
Subtract the two measurements. The difference in inches translates to your cup size
5. Finding the perfect padding.
The Under Armour Infinity sports bras are designed for all levels of impact and are designed to work with the natural movement of your body, ensuring your workout is a comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Instead of cutting two breast-shaped cups from a flat piece of padding, gluing and layering pieces of foam – the traditional sports bra construction – Under Armour’s design team liquid-injected the foam for a more natural shape that moves with the breasts, and a much lighter feel.
The flexible cups are designed to offset impact across all workout intensity levels and naturally mould to the female body, even during its natural fluctuations. The liquid foam follows in an infinity shape – the shape breasts move in during jumping and running, and provides the right level of support without sacrificing comfort and breathability.
If you still find it difficult to find one, you can always opt to seek help from professional from any Under Armour outlets.
