From The Straits Times    |

NEW YORK – Running, yoga, biking – all these activities can require varying degrees of bra support. And for women with larger breasts or unusual bra sizes, it can be difficult to find a bra that does the job.

On November 16, fitness website Fit Bottom Girls published a sports bra guide that aims to get the bounce under control.

The first step: know your bra size. To help you along, visit the bra school at Linda "The Bra Lady" Becker’s website, which offers a bra fitting calculator. For European sizes, convert from inches to centimeters, but the cup size remains the same.

"One of the easiest and quickest ways to determine if a bra will be supportive is to check the straps to see how much stretch they have," said Katie Vogt-Saladucha, a bra fit model for the past 23 years who has worked with major US brands Victoria’s Secret, Gap Body, Wacoal, Bali, and Maidenform, in a interview with Fit Bottom Girls.

"The more stretch, the more bounce the garment will have." She adds: "Look for straps that are reinforced or padded – especially for bigger busts – and have little to no stretch."

For high-impact bras, look for little to no stretch in cups and minimal stretch in the band of the bra.

Fit Bottom Girls’ five tips for a perfect sports bra fit:

  1. Make sure that the band is snug to tight around the body. A back that is riding up – a sign of a band that is too big – will never prevent bounce.
  2. Make sure that the breast is completely contained in the garment and if the bra has an underwire, that it is flat against the body. If the breasts are spilling out of the cups, or the wire is standing away from the body, the bra won’t prevent bounce.
  3. Make sure that the straps are adjusted correctly (if the bra has adjustments on the straps). The straps should feel comfortable on the body, but there should not be any slack.
  4. Do the bounce test. If you have bounce, especially for runners, try a bra with less. Also move your arms around to mimic activities that you participate in, say tennis or aerobics, to see how the bra works with your movements.
  5. Put a shirt on over the garment. Sport bras that are functional can also be flattering (i.e. avoid the dreaded uni-boob look).

In addition, Vogt-Saladucha recommends a bra with a moisture-wicking material.

Fit Bottom Girls recommends a few brands for full-cupped women, including Enell Maximum Control Full Figure Wire-Free Sports bra, which isn’t the most attractive bra on the market but offers zero bounce.

Also, CW-X Ultra Sports Bra offers less back coverage than the Enell but good support. Other options: Under Armour Endure Sports Bra and Champion Powerback Underwire Sports Bra. — AFP

For more tips and advice: fitbottomedgirls.com
To find out your bra size: www.lindasonline.com/bra-fitting-calculator
Watch a video on getting the right fit with a sports bra: link.brightcove.com
Sports bra tips for women with smaller bust sizes: fitbottomedgirls.com/sports-bra-fit-tips-for-ladies-with-hard-to-fit-breasts

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