Choosing The Right Sports Bra For You: Activity Level and Sizing Guide (Part 1)

Choosing The Right Sports Bra For You: Activity Level and Sizing Guide 

The right sports bra is VERY important to keep your breasts well-supported throughout a workout session. The right sports bra that fits comfortably and gives optimum support can make all the difference in a workout; it allows you flexible movements by keeping you in place but not overly restrictive around your ribcage. 

Size, colour, and type of activity are indeed basic factors to consider while choosing a sports bra, but there are more factors to consider, like material, type of support and adjustable straps. Sounds overwhelming? Don’t be intimated! Just keep reading, we promise you will get the hang of it.

How to choose the Best Sports Bra – Activity level 

To choose a proper sports bra, you must first consider the type of activity you’re performing. You might need a better support sports bra if you’re joining an adrenaline-pumping Body Pump class compared to a Hatha yoga flow class as these exercises involve different impact levels of movements. The higher the impact of an activity level, the more support you will need to keep your breasts in place to prevent pain and distractions. 

High impact exercises involve bouncing and bigger movements, activities like running, rope skipping, sprinting, HIIT etc requires a high support sports bra which is designed to minimize the amount of breasts’ movement by keeping them in place. 

When performing medium impact exercises like spinning, power walking, hiking, strength training etc. you still need to have a multi-directional support sports bra, although less so than the high impact ones. Compared to the high impact sports bra, medium impact sports bras are usually made with softer and smoother material.

Finally, a light support sports bra is suitable for low impact exercises that involves less movement and force on the body, exercises like Pilates, yoga, stationary cycling, walking, etc. Most of the time, light support sports bras are soft, lightweight, and breathable, which makes them suitable for everyday wear even if you’re not working out.

Tips: For those with larger breasts, wearing a medium to high support sports bra is recommended even for performing low impact activities. The extra support prevents excessive breast movement, allowing you to fully enjoy your workout and perform at your best. 

How to Choose the Best Sports Bra - Measurement Guide

Sports bras fit snugger than your everyday bra, but that does not mean you need to size down on your sports bra.  

Here’s a guide to find your perfect match. This is also a perfect time to measure yourself if you haven’t done it in a while.

1. UNDER BUST MEASUREMENT: Place the measuring tape around your chest, under your bust. Make sure the tape is levelled and snug, not digging into your skin. 

 Sports Bra Band Size Chart 

1. B) Figure out your Cup Size 

This is a 2-step calculation. 

2) BUST MEASUREMENT: Measure the fullest part of your bust. Make sure the tape is straight at the back. If it falls between numbers, round up to the nearest whole number.  

3) Subtract your BUST MEASUREMENT (Step 2) from your UNDER BUST MEASUREMENT (Step 1). If you fall between sizes, opt for a larger cup size. 

EXAMPLE: 36”( bust measurement)- 31” (under bust measurement) =5” (B cup) 

Hence,

If your under bust measurement is 31”, your band size is 36.

Your final bra size would be 36B.  Your size in our Liz Athleisure wear would be L or XL depending on your preference.

Great, now you know your correct size of bra! Things will get easier from here. Stay tuned for the next best part of choosing a new sports bra. We are going to cover more on the characteristics and why it’s important not to only choose a sports bra that’s aesthetically pleasing. 

Ready to put your new knowledge to use? Click here to begin your journey.

Love,

LIZ.