As more and more women embrace fitness as part of their lifestyle, a comfortable and supportive sports bra has become as essential as a good pair of athletic shoes.
Sports bras provide support for your breasts during exercise, helping to prevent discomfort, pain, and even long-term damage. With so many options available in the market, though, shopping for a sports bra can become a downright daunting task. Here are a few do’s and don’ts worth keeping in mind before buying a sports bra:
DO get properly sized
Most women go shopping for a sports bra thinking that they can just use their regular bra size. What you may not know is that it can differ, and it’s always best to get properly sized before making any purchases.
You can use a sports bra size calculator when you’re shopping for one online. Better yet, you can have your measurements taken in-store and then use those results to find a sports bra that fits you perfectly.
DO match the sports bra to the activity
When you’re out shopping for sports bras, you’ll often find them rated according to certain impact levels. These impact levels refer to how the activity you’ve chosen affects the movement of your breasts. The higher the impact level, the more your breasts tend to move and bounce. This means, commensurately, that there is a greater need for support.
If your primary workout consists of relatively gentle activities that don’t make your breasts bounce too much, such as Pilates, yoga, walking, or weight training, then a wireless supportive sports bra rated for low to medium impact activities should serve you well. They offer a light and comfortable level of support with an either cup-less or structured cup design. They restrict movement through compression, and sometimes also through encapsulation. Anita Active offers a wide selection of wireless supportive sports bras for light to medium activities.
To restrict breast movement even more and really keep the “ladies” in place while you work out, there are high impact sports bras. Designed for activities that may cause the breasts to move or bounce excessively such as running, dance, and most ball sports, this type of sports bra is fully structured and highly supportive, offering maximum control. Well-endowed women will find that some of their offerings can even support those with cup sizes from F to K, such as the Extreme Control Plus.
DON’T buy sports bras without adjustable straps
Adjustable straps allow you to customize the fit of your sports bra to your body, which is particularly important if you have a larger chest. Look for sports bras with wide, padded straps that don’t dig into your shoulders.
The MOMENTUM sports bra from Anita Active is a great choice. It offers maximum support and features wide, semi-elastic padded straps that can be adjusted as necessary so that you can be as comfortable as possible while you work out.
DON’T choose a sports bra with non-breathable fabric
The fabric of your sports bra is just as important as the fit. Look for a sports bra made from breathable fabric that wicks away moisture. This will help to keep you cool and dry during exercise, and prevent chafing and skin irritation.
Anita Active makes use of breathable materials in all of their sports bra offerings, but their Air Control padded sports bra is tough to beat in terms of air-permeability. It’s made with breathable microfiber mesh fabric and features ergonomically shaped, comfort straps, as well as additional support in the cups with its patented DeltaPads.
