Do you need some more sport support?
Team GB Olympic athletes are being fitted with bespoke bras to improve performance. So is it time you went for an upgrade, asks DEBBI MARCO
When it was announced Team GB had been fitted with specially designed sports bras in order to reduce bounce and boost results, I was thrilled.
As a 32G runner, I know the importance of having the right support – and now University of Portsmouth experts have found it’s not just all about comfort.
Their research has revealed an ill-fitting sports bra can shorten a woman’s stride by 4cm, which could mean running an extra mile over the length of a marathon, as well as increasing injury risk.
In the 20 years I have been running, finding the right bra has been the ultimate quest.
I have even resorted to wearing two bras at the same time to prevent unwanted bounce. But it’s not just larger breasts that need support.
Mari Thomas, founder of Maaree sports bras (maaree. com), has a degree in sports engineering and is a qualified bra fitter.
She says: “A-cup breasts can move around 4cm while running if unsupported. This increases to around 14cm for a G cup,” says Mari.
As there are no muscles in your breasts, you cannot tense them to hold them in place.
If left unsupported during exercise, the Cooper’s ligaments that give breasts shape and support will pull and stretch.
And it’s not just running that requires a sports bra. Whether you’re doing yoga, high intensity intervals, the gym or even just vigorous walking, if you can feel your breasts bouncing around you need additional support.
So what should you look for when choosing a sports bra and how do you know if it fits properly?
There are three main types – compression, which is a single piece of elasticated fabric pulled over your head; encapsulated, where the breasts each have their own separate cup with separate material, and a hybrid of both styles.
The choice is a personal one, but fit is the most important thing.
“Most women are wearing the wrong size,” says Mari.
“You get 80% of the support from the back band, so make sure that fits you properly.
“Put on your bra and turn sideways in a mirror. If the backband is rising up it’s too big. It should feel snug as it will stretch the more you wear and wash your bra.”
It’s also important to make sure your whole breast fits into the cup of the bra, including the sides.
“When it comes to the shoulder straps, you should be able to place two fingers underneath and not be able to lift it more than an inch off your shoulder,” says Mari.
She also suggests checking the fabric of your sports bra.
If it’s too stretchy when you pull it, it will allow your breasts to bounce, but if it is too fixed around the backband, you will not have enough give to allow your rib cage to expand as you breathe.
A mix of both is best, with firm material in the cups and slightly more stretch in the backband.
So before going on that run, think like an Olympian and give yourself the right support.
You get 80% of the support from the back band, so make sure that fits you properly
Mari Thomas, founder of Maaree sports bras