This is how you find the optimal sports bra for jogging, strength training, etc.

How do you find the optimal sports bra for jogging, strength training and co. and what actually makes him special?

Certain pieces of equipment are essential for many sports. We all know that we need a good pair of running shoes if we want to start jogging. Or that you need a few pieces of equipment for effective strength training at home. Or that you can invest a lot of research and money to find a suitable racing bike. But there is one piece of equipment that plays an incredibly important role in almost every sport and is often neglected: The optimal sports braIn this article you will find out why the right sports bra is so important and how you can find one.

1. Why is the right sports bra so important?
   1. Who should look for a good sports bra?
2. This is how you find the optimal sports bra for jogging, strength training, etc.
   1. The step-by-step guide to the best sports bra
      1. 1) Measure
      2. 2) Determine shape
      3. 3) Determine requirements
      4. 4) Test different sports bra models and cross sizes
   2. Common problems with sports bras
3. Conclusion – the optimal sports bra for jogging, strength training, etc.

Advertisement: This blog article was created in collaboration with Anita active. The careful research and passion that went into this article were not influenced by this.

Why is the right sports bra so important?

During exercise, you consciously expose your body to certain stressors. This is part of training and essential for Adaptationsthat you want. But one stressor often occurs in passing and is actually not desired at all: the breast movement.

Especially in high-impact sports, your breasts can move up and down for meters or kilometers if you don’t support them correctly.

While the stress on muscles, ligaments and bones with each landing causes your body to adapt and strengthen those areas, this is not the case with the sensitive breast tissue. The only thing that happens to the breast tissue due to these repetitive movements and micro-traumas is:

• The connective tissue weakens.
• Pain may occur.
• The breast loses its shape over time.

To some extent, changes in the breasts over the course of a lifetime are perfectly normal and not dramatic. It is not a bad thing that after 50 years of life and some weight fluctuations, perhaps even children and a long history, breasts look different than they did at 18. But protecting your breasts when exercising has the advantage of not making these changes excessive and reducing pain or discomfort.

Because to be honest: It’s not just the long-term consequences that are stressful, but also the immediate feeling when your bust takes on a life of its own with every step.

Who should look for a good sports bra?

A good sports bra is important for everyone with large breasts. It doesn’t even matter how big or small your breasts are or what shape they are – if you have large breasts, you need a suitable sports bra.

The larger your bust size, the more precise and careful you should be when looking for the perfect sports bra. This is because for larger sizes, there are some more specific requirements for the sports bra.

This is how you find the optimal sports bra for jogging, strength training, etc.

But how do you find the optimal sports bra for jogging, strength training and co.? As with the right running shoe, the same applies to sports bras: there is no one model that fits and works perfectly for everyone.

Depending on your size, sport, shape of your breasts and of course your individual preference, different models may be suitable for you and may be better or worse suited.

Below you will find step-by-step instructions to help you find your best sports bra.

The step-by-step guide to the best sports bra

1) Measure

Before you even start looking for your optimal sports bra, you need to determine your correct cup size.

• Wear a T-shirt bra without padding.
• Adjust the straps so that – when viewed from the side – your breasts are at the middle height of the cup.
• It is best to have a second person help you with the measurements
• Now place the measuring tape directly under your chest to determine your underbust measurement. Make sure that it runs horizontally around your upper body. Pull the measuring tape slightly tight and document the measurement.
• Next, measure your chest circumference. Place the measuring tape horizontally around the fullest part of your chest, usually at the height of the top of your breasts. Stand upright and document this measurement as well.

Now you can either use online tables or enter your values ​​directly enter in this size calculator from Anitato determine your correct size. This value provides you with a starting point in your search for the perfect sports bra. Feel free to also note the cross sizes to test different fits.

2) Determine shape

Every breast is individual in its shape and size and different bra models are suitable for different shapes. According to Anita we can divide into the following categories:

• “Perfect breast”: well-formed, the breast volume is in the middle and at the height of half the upper arm, the breast tips point forward
• Sloping breast: flat upper breast, no large volume (BC cup), nipples point upwards
• Sagging breasts: weak connective tissue, usually larger breast volume, the nipples point downwards
• Small breast: little fat tissue and little volume, breast tip is smaller, cup size AA-A
  • The small breast needs less support due to the lower breast weight. You can create more volume here with cups and pads, but that is purely a matter of taste. For you, almost all sports bra variants suitable.
• Large breast: strong mammary gland tissue, heavy weight, nipple pointing downwards, large areola, often discomfort in the neck area
  • For large breasts, extra support is important. Anita active has special models for large busts, which are cut wider in the back and relieve the neck. Such models are, for example, Anita active AIR CONTROL DELTAPAD, MOMENTUM and EXTREME CONTROL PLUS with cup sizes up to a K cup.

3) Determine requirements

Next, you can determine the requirements for your sports bra. These typically depend on the sport you want to do. Sports bras are usually divided into three different support levels and are suitable for different sports.

• Low Support / Low Impact: These sports bras are suitable for low-impact sports such as yoga and mobility.
• Medium Support: These sports bras offer a little more support and are suitable for moderate exertion such as walking or gentle dancing.
• Maximum support: When running, jumping, riding, ball sports and more intensive training sessions we need a sports bra with extra support.

4) Test different sports bra models and cross sizes

Now the time has finally come! You know the “hard facts” and the requirements you have for your sports bra. The next step is to test different bra models and cross sizes to find your personal optimal sports bra.

Be curious to start with. See which models are suitable for your breast shape and your activities and try out different versions and sizes. My personal experience shows that the size you feel most comfortable in can vary a little depending on the model.

Test every sports bra directly when trying it on with these three steps:

• Stretch your arms straight up and see if your breast stays in the bra or slips out.
• Bend forward and shake your upper body.
• Hop, jump and move quickly and explosively to make sure everything stays in place, the support is sufficient and the band in the back stays horizontal.

Common problems with sports bras

When looking for the right sports bra, some problems always arise. Some of them can be avoided from the outset by choosing quality manufacturers and following the step-by-step instructions. Others require a little more trial and testing.

The most common problems are:

• Not enough support for your activity: The vast majority of “common” sports bras simply do not offer enough support for running, jumping, etc. Make sure you pay attention to the different support levels and that they suit you.
• No choice of cup sizes: While “perfect” breasts in smaller sizes may sometimes be able to cope with standard sizes such as SL, the reality is that every breast is different and these sports bras will never fit as ideally as those with the correct underbust and cup size.
• Bra wrinkles: If the bra wrinkles, then either the shape does not fit your breasts or the straps are too wide.
• Chest bulges out: If your breasts are bulging out, then either the size is too small or the cups are not high enough. Or maybe your breasts are not positioned correctly in the bra.
• Underbust band slips up: The underbust band is then either too wide or offers too little support for your breast size.
• Underbust band cuts in: The underbust band is too tight.

Conclusion – the optimal sports bra for jogging, strength training, etc.

In most sports, a lot of emphasis is placed on the right equipment, but the importance of the right sports bra and the many differences between different manufacturers and models are often underestimated. In order to protect your breasts and to feel good during training, a good sports bra is essential.

With the tips and recommendations in this article, you now know the right approach to finding your suitable sports bra and know the most common problems and their solutions!