How to Choose a Sports Bra – A Complete Guide
Looking for your perfect sports bra? Dive in to learn all about sports bra styles, support levels and features.
What Should a Good Sports Bra Do:
Finding your ideal sports bra can seem like an art form but get it right, and you can focus 100% on your training. That’s why we’ve created your go-to guide for women’s sports bras. Read on to learn more about different designs, coverage and strap styles so you can find the perfect bra for your next workout.
Looking for an outfit for your next workout? Check out our favorite workout clothes here.
The Sports Bra Size Chart Explained:
The first step in choosing a sports bra is knowing your size. This prevents you from getting a bra that’s loose, or worse, a tight one where every breath is a workout. Sports bras are measured by both band size and cup size.
How to Measure Band Size
Band size measures your underbust or the circumference of your rib cage, just below your bust. This measurement is important as the proper size allows your rib cage to expand comfortably while still providing support.
- To find your band size, ask someone to help measure your underbust — where your underband sits — with a sewing tape. Lift your arms above your head and make sure the measure sits snugly and stays even around your rib cage and along your back.
Tip: If you need to do this unassisted, measure yourself in front of a mirror and keep the measuring tape as straight as you can, parallel to the floor.
- Round your reading up to the nearest inch and then add one. This number corresponds to the band number in the size chart.
Example: Band measurement = 32.5”, round up to 33, + 1 = 34
2. How to Measure Cup Size
Cup size is the difference between the circumference of your overbust and your underbust.
- Wearing your most comfortable, unpadded bra, wrap a sewing tape around your body across the fullest part of your bust and along the middle of your back. Be sure to keep the tape at an even level across your back for the most accurate reading.
- Once you have that measurement, round it up to the nearest inch.
- Then subtract your band size (step 1) from the measurement you just took (step 2), this will give you your cup size. The cup size translates to the letter you see in bra sizes and size charts. If you’re between two sizes, round up.
How to Prevent Sports Bra Chafing:
A common cause of chafing is wearing a bra that’s too tight. This creates friction against your body which irritates the skin over long periods. When choosing your bra, be sure to pick one that fits snugly but isn’t too tight. The width of two fingers should be able to fit between your bra strap and your body to allow room for breathing.
Another trigger is wearing bras with clasps or seams that dig into your skin. Any bra that requires you to reposition uncomfortable straps and clasps has got to go.
Materials that trap sweat against your body — like cotton — can also lead to problems with chafing. High tech moisture wicking fabrics — like nylon or polyester — are a great solution as they draw moisture away from the surface of the skin, keeping you dry and comfortable.
Types of Sports Bras:
An important part of choosing a sports bra is deciding which bra type is best for you. These are divided into two types of construction: compression and encapsulation.
Compression Sports Bras
Designed to compress breasts against the body for extra support, compression sports bras tend to be pullover designs that offer large coverage, like the traditional racerback style. These are more like tops, without individual cups built in. These bras help keep your breasts in place and are preferred for smaller cup sizes from AA-B or lower impact activities.
Encapsulation Sports Bras
Designed with built-in cups made to support each breast individually. They have no compression and are similar in design to a standard bra. They can have a clasp in the back or a zipper in front. Encapsulation bras are preferred for cup sizes C and larger, due to the extra level of support.
Hybrid Sports Bras
Many sports bras combine compression and encapsulation features. This is ideal for women with cup sizes of D and larger across all activity levels. It’s also beneficial for all sizes during high impact activities.
How Supportive Should a Sports Bra Be?
When choosing a sports bra it’s important to choose the right support level for your activity. In general, your sports bra should keep your bust as stable as possible. This is important for limiting injury and pain from excessive movement.
Support needs vary according to cup size.
Women with smaller cup sizes in the AA-B range can get away with low-medium support bras for low-high levels of activity.
C cups will need support that matches their activity level, so medium support for medium intensity exercise.
Women with cup sizes of D and larger will usually need high-support bras across all ranges of activity.
Support Levels for Sports Bras
Low Support
Activities: Low support bras are great for activities with minimal breast movement. This includes light cardio like walking, yoga or pilates.
Styles: The most common styles for these are sports bras with thin straps and minimal coverage and are often compression bras with a pullover style.
Medium Support
Activities: Medium support bras are for activities that require more movement, including biking, hiking and skiing.
Styles: These typically have wider straps than a low support bra. They can be compression or encapsulation bras and have a pullover style, front zip or back clasp.
High Support
Activities: High support sports bras are necessary for any high intensity or high impact activity where you’ll be moving around a lot — bouncing or jumping — and you need some extra support built in. This includes: running, circuits, skipping, HIIT or any explosive training.
Styles: High support bras often combine encapsulation and compression elements to provide you with mexico support. They usually have built-in cups, maximum coverage and wide adjustable band straps.
How to Choose a Sports Bra Strap Type:
The final step in choosing a sports bra is choosing your preferred strap type. Sports bras have three main strap types each with their own purpose. It’s best to select a strap that suits the intensity level of your workout.
The Crisscross
This strap crisscrosses in the back, these look great with your workout attire. These straps are often adjustable to maximize their fit. They’re a go-to for low to medium intensity exercise with the crisscross providing additional support.
The Racerback
The racerback is the most recognizable sports bra shape. It has shoulder straps that meet between your shoulder blades to form a Y. Racerbacks are ideal for low to high intensity workouts, with compression minimizing breast movement. They typically provide the most chest coverage by compressing from all sides. The straps aren’t usually adjustable but stay in place easily and can help improve your workout posture. If you have a larger chest, you’ll find them the most supportive if they have built-in cups.
The Tank Top
The tank top has vertical and adjustable shoulder straps that are similar in style to your standard bra. The tank is usually an encapsulation design that suits low to medium intensity exercise (depending on strap width and coverage).
How to Choose a Sports Bra Clasp Type:
Clasp choice should be based on personal preferences for style and removal. Sports bras are categorized by three closure types: the pullover, the back clasp and the front zip.
Pullover
Pullover sports bras like the name implies are put on over your head. They are usually compression bras and include the racerback design. They have an elasticized lining in the underband and can be more difficult to take on and off.
Back Clasps
Sports bras with back clasps have hook clasps along the back like a standard bra. They are often padded or feature underwires.
Front Zip
These sports bras have a zipper that runs up the front side of the bra. They are usually encapsulation bras with built-in cups and are easier to take on and off if you have a larger bust.
Sports Bra Features You Want to Know:
Padded Sports Bra
Pads in sports bras provide breast support to minimize pain and maximize stability. Too much breast movement can lead to bruising and even cause damage to ligaments. Over the long term it can lead to sagging. The good news is that padded sports bras provide that additional level of support to prevent this.
Moisture Wicking Fabrics
These fabrics pull sweat away from your body and shift it to the exterior lining of the sports bra. This allows moisture to evaporate quickly. They also minimize chafing and the visibility of sweat from your workout. Moisture wicking fabrics including nylon and polyester, are ideal for high intensity exercise or prolonged physical activity.
Underwire
An underwire is a piece of wire that runs under the cups of a bra to shape and lift the breasts. It provides support and prevents sagging over time. Made from metal, resin or plastic, underwires are great for supporting larger busts.
Minimal Seams and Stitching
Sports bras with minimal seams and stitching allow your breasts to be supported rather than restricted. They help avoid chafing and are less visible under clothing due to their minimal creases. These bras are designed to hug your body smoothly and usually come without underwires.