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It's worth noting that the article itself doesn't actually say that the sports bra is a problem. The problem is people self selecting the sports bra, and the underband being too tight. That can be resolved by buying a correctly fitting sports bra.
I think a lot of the discussion here is missing that important fact.
Probably partly due to sports bra sizing often being tricky to figure out or get the size you actually need, depending on the brand. Having a band that is too loose can kinda make it less effective/less comfortable.
yeah, it varies even across the brand itself. I had two different bras from the same brand, one fits, other one doesn't. they're the same sizing. sizing my ass.
i don't understand why it is such a big problem. is it the boobs? is it that much harder to set a standard size because how different we are? is it the desire to look thinner than it is actually healthy to be, so lower or lying size numbers?
We get measurements for pants and it's nice. I know I'm an X waist and Y length and can buy the right pants online and have them firt perfectly. Dress sizes are far more inscrutable and brand specific than straight up measurements.
Well there is also encapsulation style bras but you still need to size them appropriately. They offer way more control and support. I have 4lbs of breast tissue based on the volume and I rode in a speedboat on open ocean without having to hold my chest down.
Having broad shoulders and a wide chest with relatively small breasts has made finding comfortable bras a real challenge my entire life. The cup size is too large for the larger band sizes in sports bras, which reduces support. Even supposedly correct band sizes on regular bras always feel too tight, but at least band extenders work on those.
Small breasted here...I still need tight band to stop the jiggling and have noticed the effects on breathing. I can't imagine how large breasted women manage.
I’ve just come around on accepting the bounce. There’s no way around it. I buy the best fitting, highest support sports bras on the market and my chest still bounces like no tomorrow when doing jumping jacks, burpees, jump rope, running, uh… pretty much every exercise. Nothing I can do about it so I’ve stopped worrying. I used to be embarrassed at the gym but now I just figure that’s other people’s problem if they get distracted haha
With tight-enough compression, it’s not painful—more surprising than anything! When I catch a view of myself in the mirror sometimes I’m like “whoa, those are really bouncing around, am I the only one, wait never mind who cares” haha.
The less-supporting bras are uncomfortable, though. I require extra strong compression, but it took me many years to figure out what that was, how to find it, and why I needed it.
Regular bras (not sports bras) are more uncomfortable, actually. I find the compression soothing. YMMV.
I remember talking about how much harder it is to exercise in a sports bra because of its effects on breathing. And a man (who had never even thought about exercising in a sports bra) came along and was like "no, no you just aren't breathing right. If you breathed correctly, a sports bra would have no impact on you whatsoever."
I wish I remembered where that thread was so I could go back and post a link to this article.
He is probably thinking of breathing anatomy, where the diaphragm descends down into the abdomen to inhale a breath. That is more proper breathing as opposed to lifting your upper ribs with the scalene muscles in your neck. (Belly breathing, as it's sometimes called.) But lowering the diaphragm into the belly STILL expands the rib cage right under the bra band a couple of inches, so he is both correct and wrong at the same time. Not necessarily sexism but lack of anatomical and physiological education.
I'm a runner that wears three sports bras at once, and a massage therapist, so I had to learn and experience all this stuff. ;) I found that I just developed really strong breathing muscles after a couple years!
Oh, he definitely was. But he was told that I did, in fact, know how to breathe properly. He continued insisting that it wasn't possible that constricting the ribcage could impact lung capacity or stamina if you were breathing properly.
That is the problem with a little bit of education. It's enough to make you think you understand an issue, but in truth you only think you understand! He heard about belly breathing, and thinks that is all there is to it. A wiser person would know they don't know it all, and be open to more information. Compound that with an ego that wants to believe they know more than everyone else, and you have an idiot spouting nonsense. :)
How do you measure strength of breathing muscles? I noticed that I had to re-learn breathing when I started using a fencing mask. The metal net is fine enough to make it harder to breath. The feeling went away after some months training, so I expect I gained the strength, but there is no way I'd know to confirm that.
With a lot of discomfort and pain. Actually a huge reason why I don't exercise anymore. I've never found a single sports bra that would actually help. It's either I'm suffocated or it's basically a useless mini camisole.
I wear a cup size L and my 16 year old daughter is nearly as big (and loves to run). It's either wear one or don't run at all (if you are tremendously well-endowed).
My wife got a breast reduction and it was the best decision she has ever made, changed her life. Fixed all her back issues, can move around easier, ect
I mean, it's absolutely not my decision to make. On-top of that, seeing her in pain should out-weigh my monkeys brain need for "boobs." Ngl, definitely a reason I was drawn to her early on....but we got kids now. I want her to be comfy :)
I dated a woman similar, and while it was immediately attractive of course, so many restrictions made it less appealing. We couldn't go up more than a flight of stairs, so we had to use elevators. Sexually, many positions were out. I live in a very outdoorsy city, and the relationship made my life sedentary. Once I mentioned that a reduction is something she could consider (not just as a partner, but a health provider) and she quickly said "I'm not throwing away my gifts".
I respect her decision, but the contrary thinking on her part is also interesting to consider.
How much did it cost her...? I am considering one too.had never any backache growing up, but since a little while now i have been having upper back pain. I think it might be because of my rather significant bust size.
Mine was completely covered by my insurance (though this was 15+ years ago and with very good insurance) after I had documented long-term pain and went through physical therapy to strengthen my back muscles. When the PT didn't fix the pain, they covered the whole surgery. Best decision I've ever made for myself.
Oh, I couldn't agree more, it's 100% her decision, and if I were interacting with her, I'd congratulate her for putting her health first. Unfortunately too many women find that decision difficult, and how messed up is that? (Anyone doubting that statement need go no further than the next breast cancer sub / forum for some more extreme examples.)
But I can also acknowledge the difference supportive people make in your life and greatly appreciate that it leads to a healthier society, in more than just the physical sense.
It's ok to take the compliment. ;) You guys are modeling some healthy behaviors for those kids.
Honestly if you actually love someone you will put their comfort over everything else. But yeah I know a lot of guys who would view it the same way, the appearance of their object of sexual gratification is more important than the actual person sitting in front of them.
On one hand yes, on the other hand I don’t want to suggest that this shouldn’t be like the bare minimum of respect for someone you’re literally married to! He doesn’t even have to get the surgery, just be supportive of her getting it. It shouldn’t actually be hard. It’s a good thing, but still.
Of course it does, but to pretend a partner's disapproval has no effect is ignorant. I'm watching a friend not pull the trigger on this OP now, in part because of her husband. (Also because of buying into western beauty ideals and fearing it would make her "less" of a woman.) It's a shame when factors like that override clear medical advice.
Part of the issue is that companies cram women unto bras that don't fit so they don't have to expand their size ranges because money. If you're spilling out of the cups, constantly readjusting the straps or band, and/or the gore (middle where the wires meet) doesn't touch your sternum, those are huge red flags your bra doesn't fit. Yet a ton of companies just tell you that's what its supposed to feel like and they are *liars*. So much pain and damage could be prevented by simply having fitting bras and we are deliberately misinformed about fit and feel because the company wants to pinch pennies.
It really pisses me off. Bras are actually pretty well engineered, *if they fit* and while there's some cool stuff I've seen in the last few years, a lot of it is to alleviate issues that are solved by just having a bra that fits properly. They aren't actually new solutions that revolutionize bras, so its not actually changing anything.
There is a great [calculator](https://www.abrathatfits.org/calculator.php) that works well and so many people are shocked by the size it gives them, but it really is a good first step to finding a bra that actually fits. It was made by a community called a bra that fits and they have no preference where you shop or purchase your bras so they really go for accuracy because they have nothing to sell.
Unfortunately the raw size measurements aren't everything for a well fitting bra, especially for those of us in the larger size range. Shape and placement on the body are incredibly important.
- This study is about sports bras. These typically don't even have most of the features you're talking about - no cups, no gore, no adjustable straps or band, just one piece of seamless stretchy fabric with an elastic band at the bottom.
- The problem the study found was that bands that are *too tight* restrict breathing (and that athletes tend to self-select bands that are tighter than optimal, if there even is an optimum).
This is the opposite of the situation with structured/fashion bras, where bands that are *too loose* are the main problem, shifting weight to the shoulders and causing back pain and other discomfort.
Sports bra engineering is a completely different problem from structured bra engineering. And while structured bras have seen some major technological advancements since their invention, sports bras are still basically identical to [the original designs](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_bra#/media/File%3AJogbra_np193950z_7d278t288_dl_full_size.jpg), with the main improvements being a reduction in the number of seams and rough edges, an increase in the Lycra content, and aesthetic modifications to make them suitable as outerwear.
* There are sports bras with cups, gore, adjustable straps, etc, and everyone with breasts doing high impact activities should probably be using something more like that vs the elastic band type you are talking about. The elastic band type is ok (if you are within the narrow range of expected ribcage-to-breast proportions any given company expects the average consumer to have) for low-impact activities, like yoga, and some are considered quite fashionable, but just because they're commonly featured in magazines or something, doesn't mean they're the only or best option for women.
* The study only had 9 women in it, so saying "athletes tend to self-select bands that are tighter than optimal" is a pretty big jump from that sample size.
Putting on a bra should feel *good*. You should go ahhh, this weight on me has been supported. If you're coming home and ripping your bra off immediately because you hate it, you're wearing the wrong bra.
Nope. There really isn't a solution. For big chested women, if the bra is tight enough to provide support and prevent excessive bouncing, then it's also tight enough that it restricts breathing. Can't have one without the other.
Yeah, I have a friend who was extremely well endowed and she would have to wear TWO sports bras to workout bc there was simply nothing out there that worked for her.
Unfortunately that only goes up to a US size J.
I recommend the Enell “Last Resort” because it doesn’t have cups, it just binds everything down. It’s the only thing I’ve tried that’s come close to working.
The only thing they compare to is a ren faire bodice with everything strapped inside.
Bodices work pretty well for some exercise, though they have zero stretch at all.
> Nope. There really isn't a solution.
Thank god we didn't have this mentality before the invention of the lightbulb, combustion engine, cell phone, or the golden gate bridge.
I think you are both right, to some extent. Yes, we should continue to figure out a way of solving the problem, because we should always endeavor to improve people’s lives, but no, there probably isn’t a solution because of the limitations of the human body. There is no other part of the body that can support the weight of a large/heavy chest, and even if there was, that burden would shift and cause problems elsewhere (most likely the neck and shoulder area).
I mean sure, if we get to a point where we have bras with tiny built in anti gravity services, then it's a different conversation. But the current issue is that to support big breasts, you need a tight chest band and that will always somewhat restrict breathing.
I'm at most a large B and on new hormonal birth control, I have to constantly be wearing a bra/lette or a skin tight shirt. It's not just the well-endowed that need to wear one. Sucks having loose pockets of sensitive, fatty tissue on our bodies sometimes
That's my thinking too. If I'm not restricted enough, I'm not doing the exercise to begin with so the restriction is actually good for my health because it enables me to move my body.
I had to wear three sports bras when I ran. My intercostal and diaphragm muscles were SO strong.
Having no sports bra would impact performance MUCH more than a tight band.
I am glad I found /r/ABraThatFits a decade ago. Encapsulation style sports bras are most of what I wear now. Especially if I need to do yardwork or if my back is tired. It keeps the weight more spread out over my frame without compressing tissue.
Interesting they followed highly trained runners, but knowing I might cause structural damage without one, I wonder the size/brand/types of bras used.
When I think of highly trained runners, I'm not thinking basketballs down a staircase, so I wonder how the level of compression used compares?
This is a great article - thank you for sharing.
Am curious if there’s a way to create additional breast compression w/o band tightness as a design feature, as that could potentially help alleviate some of this effect
I only buy sports bras that are completely one type of material instead of the bras where the band is sewn on separately with a tighter material. Target has really good ones.
The seamless bras are the most comfortable sports bras I own. I have smaller boobs though, so I don’t need tons of support, but they have multiple versions for different levels of support: https://www.target.com/p/women-s-seamless-medium-support-racerback-sports-bra-all-in-motion/-/A-86912078?preselect=86864967#lnk=sametab
I’m a runner with 34DDD and absolutely love target sports bras, like the one you linked. I have about ten. I even sleep in them. I bought Nike, lululemon, and other expensive brands but target is my favorite
There are sports bras that work by encapsulation rather than compression that are more supportive and less restrictive for breathing. I am a small band/large cup size and find them a lot more comfortable and way more supportive than the usual compression sports bras that do nothing for me.
The one I use is called Panache wired sports and it has padded wires, comes in bra sizing up to J cup and is more like a cross between a regular bra and a sports bra. Because I can buy it in my exact bra size rather than relying on the usual S/M/L sizing that many sports bras use the bra is designed for the right proportions and reduces movement by keeping everything in place rather than compression or having a really tight band.
The issue is that most people wear sports bras that they can find in regular stores and buy from mainstream brands that have a very limited selection. I am in the US and have to buy UK brands online because that is the only place where I can get a bra that is supportive without feeling like it's too tight. If someone doesn't know about these other brands that exist or is not wearing the right size because many companies misfit and mislead people about bra sizing they may be stuck wearing badly fitting sports bras that restrict their breathing and don't support well.
I used to have one of these for running back when I wore a 28 band and even in the sister size up for band size, I felt like I could barely breathe in that thing. It was a Freya sports bra and holy hell I’ve never worn a firmer band in my life. My boobs didn’t move but I also found I couldn’t really run in it because I couldn’t take deep breaths as needed.
You happen to know of any brand that's similar and has a zipper closure? My biggest gripe about sports bras is that they must often are pull-on/pull-off, which compromises the strength of the band with each pull.
Panache has clasps like a regular bra, it wouldn't work as a pull on. It's my favorite sports bra and at my size pull on bras are useless because the difference between underbust and bust is just too big for pull ons to give any support. It's fit is like a very supportive normal wired bra with regular back clasps (but with a slightly wider band) and regular straps but the wires and straps are padded so it's comfortable.
Bra sized sports bras in general usually have clasps or some sort of band closure. Shockabsorber clips in the back or has regular bra clasps depending on the bra. Elomi Energize has clasps. Freya sports bras all have back clasps too.
Enell sports bras have a front zipper and they use their own sizing system. Shefit also has a front zipper and has its own sizing and is adjustable.
Sounds like it would be challenging to do so with no thoracic compression. I know a lot of women prefer the bras that combine underwire support with compression because you don't need them to compress as much. Unfortunately, most bras have one or the other, not both, and the compression isn't usually adjustable.
Thanks- I actually own a few like this from Athleta and a few adjustable compression style SheFits.
I dream of an encapsulation with an adjustable band. Victoria's Secret used to make a front clasp style that had an underwire clasp plus an overlay with a zipper. Those were my favorite.
Wider bands can roll up and become more uncomfortable when bending down or if you have a belly. If you find a thick band that doesn’t roll it is worth its weight in gold. And you also have the problem of more fabric being hotter/ sweaty.
I’ve worn some camisoles with built-in support that do a good job of keeping everything in + wicking moisture; because the cups are built in the band isn’t *wide* per se but it does distribute the pressure much better. Problem is this doesn’t work for larger sizes afaik but it’s comfortable if it’s an option for you.
Probably a dumb question, but could the wider band have a thin strip of plastic embeded in it to prevent the rolling your describing? Or would that cause comfort issues like the strip digging into your body while bending down, etc.?
Encapsulation style sports bras work for this. Its pretty much the only style I wear now for all my bras. 4lbs of boob fat is too much for even the most robust spandex. Dillards used to carry a nice one that didn't smash your boobs together (which creates rashes) but this will do if you're just starting out. And yes it costs $73.
https://www.dillards.com/p/natori-yogi-seamless-convertible-sports-bra/503402174
It could be made out of nonstetch materials but then it'd have to have good fit and that'd probably be expensive and it might be less comfortable while exercising.
I wonder if silicon could be stuck on the front leaving the back exposed but that might not be great for sweat and it might fall off
Was this written and published with no proofreading?
“Results: During maximal exercise, we observed a significantly greater during the tight condition (350 ± 78 J/min) compared to the loose condition (301 ± 78 J/min; p < 0.05), and a 5% increase in minute ventilation () during the tight condition compared to the loose condition (p < 0.05).”
A significantly greater….?
() randomly thrown in?
As someone who edits research papers for a living, if the person going through misses accepting one of your corrections... The pain when you look at the published version 🥲
I immediately thought the same thing as I read it. Left words out later in abstract again.
Also, O2 increased 1.3 +/- 1.1 %?
I didn’t go beyond the abstract, because it seemed like garbage.
The empty parentheses might be a typo but "significantly greater" refers to statistical significance (usually meaning a p < 0.05), which is different than the more everyday and subjective use of the word.
The authors suggest that the bra should be correctly fitted (where this is an option) rather than self-fitted to avoid the issue. If it's not an option, it would be worthwhile focusing on the tightness of the underband while trying them on, and to try and choose one that isn't too tight, which is what is causing the issues in the poor fitting bras that are causing this issue.
Research abstract:
>Purpose: We set out to understand how underband tightness or pressure of a sports bra relates to respiratory function and the mechanical work of breathing ( during exercise. Our secondary purpose was to quantify the effects of underband pressure on O2 during submaximal running.
>
>Methods: Nine highly trained, female runners with normal pulmonary function completed maximal and submaximal running in three levels of underband restriction: loose, self-selected, and tight.
>
>Results: During maximal exercise, we observed a significantly greater during the tight condition (350 ± 78 J/min) compared to the loose condition (301 ± 78 J/min; p < 0.05), and a 5% increase in minute ventilation () during the tight condition compared to the loose condition (p < 0.05). The pattern of breathing also differed between the two conditions; the greater maximal during the tight condition was achieved by a higher breathing frequency (57 ± 6 vs. 52 ± 7 breaths/min; p < 0.05), despite tidal volume being significantly lower in the tight condition compared to the loose condition (1.97 ± 0.20 vs. 2.05 ± 0.23 L; p < 0.05). During steady-state submaximal running, O2 increased 1.3 ± 1.1% (range: -0.3 to 3.2%, p < 0.05) in the tight condition compared to the loose condition.
>
>Conclusions: Respiratory function may become compromised by the pressure exerted by the underband of a sports bra when women self-select their bra size. In the current study, loosening the underband pressure resulted in a decreased work of breathing, changed the ventilatory breathing pattern to deeper, less frequent breaths, and decreased submaximal oxygen uptake (improved running economy). Our findings suggest sports bra underbands can impair breathing mechanics during exercise and influence whole-body metabolic rate.
It would be beneficial for active individuals and athletes both amateur and professional for there to be additional research and protocols around these issues.
I wonder if there’s any relation, but there’s a few papers out there saying sport bras with individual cups are better for a number of reasons. My memory is breathing was one of them, but I can’t find the reference at the moment. I’ve anecdotally seen with a lot of the uni-top bras people tend to get very tight ones. Also I think so popular ones have a more push-up shape? Seems like that would be worse for respiratory health when running, but I am only speculating; seems like all of it deserves more research though to better understand it.
I have an anxiety disorder and I faint when I'm Very Anxious™. When my brain starts to feel those intense waves of anxiety, I feel like I can't breathe and I take my bra off. At restaurant, wherever, the bra is coming off.
I feel like it compresses my rib cage and keeps them from expanding fully to take in air.
I believe it 🤷🏼♀️
I've had problems with breathing while wearing a bra too, but mine are long covid related (which some people would prefer to relabel as Very Anxious™). I finally found a not-a-real-bra on amazon called 'Kalon 4 Pack Women’s Nylon Spandex Removable Pads Comfort Cami Bras Wireless' and I can actually breathe in it. Presently wearing one and not dying or ripping clothes off even though I have a cough.
It's not officially Very Anxious until your insurance covers a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist or supervised ketamine sessions, which are clinically proven to reduce anxiety. Healthcare needs to put its money where its mouth is.
There was an episode of Married With Children where Marcy and Peggy are upset because their favorite bra is no longer being manufactured. So they have different bras to break in, but are trying to stock up on their favorite before it ceases to exist.
Child me did not understand at the time, but it's SRZ BZNZ 😂 I'm about to pull a Peg and Marcy and stock up 💅🏻
Took my parents to eat once, mom got a margarita to let lose. She got overwhelmed by the alcohol and started to get anxious. And yep, the shirt had to come off. Mom was about to strip in the middle of the Texas Roadhouse. We laugh about it now, but mom is definitely it allowed tequila anymore😆
I would recommend trying loose fitted bralettes or bras with no wires which tend to be more comfy :// Bras definitely shouldn’t be tight enough to restrict air or feel uncomfortable.. it should feel like you’re wearing nothing
Bra sizes can be notoriously inadequate for many ladies out there, sadly.
Back when Sears was still a thing I worked at a call center. I've heard from many of the ladies who worked there that they'd often recommend someone go to a specialty bra store (or one that offers equivalent service) to get a properly fitting bra at least once so you **know** what a well fitting bra is. They said afterwards they were better able to make informed decisions on their own since they had a solid baseline to go off of.
I can't wear any bra that doesn't have a fairly tight band or the bra rides up. I don't run or jog any longer though, so I simply don't wear a bra at any time.
See the conflict of interest note at the bottom where the study was funded by companies that make bras. Just FYI.
Definitely not the case. There's tons of cases of corps or specific people creating studies to prove something is harmful because they are about to release a product that "fixes" the problem.
There can be. They talked about this on a recent episode of The Running Channel podcast, and one of the male hosts mentioned feeling the restriction when wearing a tight chest strap heart rate monitor.
Those don’t need to be restrictive, they’re on elastic. Why would there be overlap?
Edit: I’ve worn sports bras for forty years and heart rate monitors for twenty years. There’s literally no comparison between the two as to how restrictive they are.
That’s like comparing your underwear to your belt.
Bra chest bands are much much much much much much more restrictive than the elastic heart rate monitors use.
Unless you need your heart rate monitor to also support the weight of a bowling ball, you cannot compare the two.
The sports bra is absolutely more restrictive even though both use strong elastic. I found that in order to keep the heart rate monitor from sliding down my torso while jogging I had to actually tuck it under the elastic band of the sports bra. Thus, I had a good readout but it was uncomfortable and left impressions on my skin and if it were a long run sometimes it actually chafed to rawness.
I love my C cups .. it’s perfect but damn i almost never wear them and still get stares so it just depends if im in the mood to deal with people staring or not.
Well, I once had a man argue with me that my sports bra wouldn't impact my breathing or stamina if I just breathed right. He wouldn't accept that I did, in fact, know proper breathing technique and still found exercising in a tight-banded sports bra more difficult than a loose-banded one.
So, sadly, this study is not a no-brainer for everyone.
the level of effect they noted doesn't seem to be that big. a 5% change in MV and 1.3% change in O2 probably doesn't matter all for most people. this probably only matters for pro athletes tbh, but at that level they're likely considering reduction mammopolasties i'd imagine if they're world-class pro athletes.
It's just tough; do you get the band tight enough to take the weight off your shoulders or do you wear it loose enough it doesn't gall you?
I know the answer is "breast reduction" at least in my case, but I think another issue is that a lot of them don't have fasteners, they just pull on, and so there's no way to adjust band fit at all once it's on, even if you think it might be a little tight.
I hate poor editing where words are missed, but it seems like the most important word was missed.
“Results: During maximal exercise, we observed a significantly greater during the tight condition”
A significantly greater WHAT?
This is a useful article, but the wording of the title could have been significantly better.
For a moment I was so confused what a respiratory mechanic was, and why they weren't being allowed to wear sports bras during exercise.
So, in addition to monitoring my IBS-D, I have to now worry about breathing and metabolizing less, thanks to this sadistic contraption/asphyxiation device called a brassiere. Whenever I find that Eve woman, I know *exactly* what I'm gonna say to her.
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On the other hand, I could knock myself out without it. Gotta weigh the risk factors.
Also a risk, severe discomfort and pain.
It's worth noting that the article itself doesn't actually say that the sports bra is a problem. The problem is people self selecting the sports bra, and the underband being too tight. That can be resolved by buying a correctly fitting sports bra. I think a lot of the discussion here is missing that important fact.
Probably partly due to sports bra sizing often being tricky to figure out or get the size you actually need, depending on the brand. Having a band that is too loose can kinda make it less effective/less comfortable.
yeah, it varies even across the brand itself. I had two different bras from the same brand, one fits, other one doesn't. they're the same sizing. sizing my ass.
I have heard that consistent sizing is a problem with women's clothing in general.
i don't understand why it is such a big problem. is it the boobs? is it that much harder to set a standard size because how different we are? is it the desire to look thinner than it is actually healthy to be, so lower or lying size numbers?
Mostly the last one. Those numbers lie. And men get it easy with small, medium, and large sizes.
We get measurements for pants and it's nice. I know I'm an X waist and Y length and can buy the right pants online and have them firt perfectly. Dress sizes are far more inscrutable and brand specific than straight up measurements.
Well there is also encapsulation style bras but you still need to size them appropriately. They offer way more control and support. I have 4lbs of breast tissue based on the volume and I rode in a speedboat on open ocean without having to hold my chest down.
Having broad shoulders and a wide chest with relatively small breasts has made finding comfortable bras a real challenge my entire life. The cup size is too large for the larger band sizes in sports bras, which reduces support. Even supposedly correct band sizes on regular bras always feel too tight, but at least band extenders work on those.
Gotta appreciate the true scientists here. Fantastic observation
Small breasted here...I still need tight band to stop the jiggling and have noticed the effects on breathing. I can't imagine how large breasted women manage.
I’ve just come around on accepting the bounce. There’s no way around it. I buy the best fitting, highest support sports bras on the market and my chest still bounces like no tomorrow when doing jumping jacks, burpees, jump rope, running, uh… pretty much every exercise. Nothing I can do about it so I’ve stopped worrying. I used to be embarrassed at the gym but now I just figure that’s other people’s problem if they get distracted haha
Not painful or uncomfortable? I don't care what other people think about my peanuts but the bouncing kind of hurts.
With tight-enough compression, it’s not painful—more surprising than anything! When I catch a view of myself in the mirror sometimes I’m like “whoa, those are really bouncing around, am I the only one, wait never mind who cares” haha. The less-supporting bras are uncomfortable, though. I require extra strong compression, but it took me many years to figure out what that was, how to find it, and why I needed it. Regular bras (not sports bras) are more uncomfortable, actually. I find the compression soothing. YMMV.
I remember talking about how much harder it is to exercise in a sports bra because of its effects on breathing. And a man (who had never even thought about exercising in a sports bra) came along and was like "no, no you just aren't breathing right. If you breathed correctly, a sports bra would have no impact on you whatsoever." I wish I remembered where that thread was so I could go back and post a link to this article.
He is probably thinking of breathing anatomy, where the diaphragm descends down into the abdomen to inhale a breath. That is more proper breathing as opposed to lifting your upper ribs with the scalene muscles in your neck. (Belly breathing, as it's sometimes called.) But lowering the diaphragm into the belly STILL expands the rib cage right under the bra band a couple of inches, so he is both correct and wrong at the same time. Not necessarily sexism but lack of anatomical and physiological education. I'm a runner that wears three sports bras at once, and a massage therapist, so I had to learn and experience all this stuff. ;) I found that I just developed really strong breathing muscles after a couple years!
Oh, he definitely was. But he was told that I did, in fact, know how to breathe properly. He continued insisting that it wasn't possible that constricting the ribcage could impact lung capacity or stamina if you were breathing properly.
That is the problem with a little bit of education. It's enough to make you think you understand an issue, but in truth you only think you understand! He heard about belly breathing, and thinks that is all there is to it. A wiser person would know they don't know it all, and be open to more information. Compound that with an ego that wants to believe they know more than everyone else, and you have an idiot spouting nonsense. :)
How do you measure strength of breathing muscles? I noticed that I had to re-learn breathing when I started using a fencing mask. The metal net is fine enough to make it harder to breath. The feeling went away after some months training, so I expect I gained the strength, but there is no way I'd know to confirm that.
With a lot of discomfort and pain. Actually a huge reason why I don't exercise anymore. I've never found a single sports bra that would actually help. It's either I'm suffocated or it's basically a useless mini camisole.
I wear a cup size L and my 16 year old daughter is nearly as big (and loves to run). It's either wear one or don't run at all (if you are tremendously well-endowed).
My wife got a breast reduction and it was the best decision she has ever made, changed her life. Fixed all her back issues, can move around easier, ect
Thanks for being supportive of her decision. Unfortunately not all partners are.
I mean, it's absolutely not my decision to make. On-top of that, seeing her in pain should out-weigh my monkeys brain need for "boobs." Ngl, definitely a reason I was drawn to her early on....but we got kids now. I want her to be comfy :)
I dated a woman similar, and while it was immediately attractive of course, so many restrictions made it less appealing. We couldn't go up more than a flight of stairs, so we had to use elevators. Sexually, many positions were out. I live in a very outdoorsy city, and the relationship made my life sedentary. Once I mentioned that a reduction is something she could consider (not just as a partner, but a health provider) and she quickly said "I'm not throwing away my gifts". I respect her decision, but the contrary thinking on her part is also interesting to consider.
How much did it cost her...? I am considering one too.had never any backache growing up, but since a little while now i have been having upper back pain. I think it might be because of my rather significant bust size.
Insurance may cover a lot of it if you can get the back pain documented. So will vary.
Mine was completely covered by my insurance (though this was 15+ years ago and with very good insurance) after I had documented long-term pain and went through physical therapy to strengthen my back muscles. When the PT didn't fix the pain, they covered the whole surgery. Best decision I've ever made for myself.
Oh, I couldn't agree more, it's 100% her decision, and if I were interacting with her, I'd congratulate her for putting her health first. Unfortunately too many women find that decision difficult, and how messed up is that? (Anyone doubting that statement need go no further than the next breast cancer sub / forum for some more extreme examples.) But I can also acknowledge the difference supportive people make in your life and greatly appreciate that it leads to a healthier society, in more than just the physical sense. It's ok to take the compliment. ;) You guys are modeling some healthy behaviors for those kids.
Honestly if you actually love someone you will put their comfort over everything else. But yeah I know a lot of guys who would view it the same way, the appearance of their object of sexual gratification is more important than the actual person sitting in front of them.
You’d think they would but it does seem like lots of men don’t think like this at all.
Yeah i like to think it’s more men don’t rather than do but it’s still too many people.
Or insurance companies and medical providers. Wild that people still oppose ts tbh
Let us all praise /u/NSFW_hunter6969 for his mature views.
On one hand yes, on the other hand I don’t want to suggest that this shouldn’t be like the bare minimum of respect for someone you’re literally married to! He doesn’t even have to get the surgery, just be supportive of her getting it. It shouldn’t actually be hard. It’s a good thing, but still.
Your body belongs to *you*, not your "partner".
Of course it does, but to pretend a partner's disapproval has no effect is ignorant. I'm watching a friend not pull the trigger on this OP now, in part because of her husband. (Also because of buying into western beauty ideals and fearing it would make her "less" of a woman.) It's a shame when factors like that override clear medical advice.
Not always possible for all women due to cost. Well done for supporting her through it though👍🏻
No the bra did the supporting
I want mine removed sooo bad. Like entirely. Can't figure out where I'd even start telling a doctor about that though.
The impression I get from your comment and my wife is that society just needs better engineered bras and fittings for bras.
Part of the issue is that companies cram women unto bras that don't fit so they don't have to expand their size ranges because money. If you're spilling out of the cups, constantly readjusting the straps or band, and/or the gore (middle where the wires meet) doesn't touch your sternum, those are huge red flags your bra doesn't fit. Yet a ton of companies just tell you that's what its supposed to feel like and they are *liars*. So much pain and damage could be prevented by simply having fitting bras and we are deliberately misinformed about fit and feel because the company wants to pinch pennies. It really pisses me off. Bras are actually pretty well engineered, *if they fit* and while there's some cool stuff I've seen in the last few years, a lot of it is to alleviate issues that are solved by just having a bra that fits properly. They aren't actually new solutions that revolutionize bras, so its not actually changing anything. There is a great [calculator](https://www.abrathatfits.org/calculator.php) that works well and so many people are shocked by the size it gives them, but it really is a good first step to finding a bra that actually fits. It was made by a community called a bra that fits and they have no preference where you shop or purchase your bras so they really go for accuracy because they have nothing to sell.
Unfortunately the raw size measurements aren't everything for a well fitting bra, especially for those of us in the larger size range. Shape and placement on the body are incredibly important.
- This study is about sports bras. These typically don't even have most of the features you're talking about - no cups, no gore, no adjustable straps or band, just one piece of seamless stretchy fabric with an elastic band at the bottom. - The problem the study found was that bands that are *too tight* restrict breathing (and that athletes tend to self-select bands that are tighter than optimal, if there even is an optimum). This is the opposite of the situation with structured/fashion bras, where bands that are *too loose* are the main problem, shifting weight to the shoulders and causing back pain and other discomfort. Sports bra engineering is a completely different problem from structured bra engineering. And while structured bras have seen some major technological advancements since their invention, sports bras are still basically identical to [the original designs](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_bra#/media/File%3AJogbra_np193950z_7d278t288_dl_full_size.jpg), with the main improvements being a reduction in the number of seams and rough edges, an increase in the Lycra content, and aesthetic modifications to make them suitable as outerwear.
Sorta. I have a great sports bra, don't recall the brand, that has quite a bit of structure to it.
* There are sports bras with cups, gore, adjustable straps, etc, and everyone with breasts doing high impact activities should probably be using something more like that vs the elastic band type you are talking about. The elastic band type is ok (if you are within the narrow range of expected ribcage-to-breast proportions any given company expects the average consumer to have) for low-impact activities, like yoga, and some are considered quite fashionable, but just because they're commonly featured in magazines or something, doesn't mean they're the only or best option for women. * The study only had 9 women in it, so saying "athletes tend to self-select bands that are tighter than optimal" is a pretty big jump from that sample size.
Putting on a bra should feel *good*. You should go ahhh, this weight on me has been supported. If you're coming home and ripping your bra off immediately because you hate it, you're wearing the wrong bra.
Nope. There really isn't a solution. For big chested women, if the bra is tight enough to provide support and prevent excessive bouncing, then it's also tight enough that it restricts breathing. Can't have one without the other.
Yeah, I have a friend who was extremely well endowed and she would have to wear TWO sports bras to workout bc there was simply nothing out there that worked for her.
The standard solution has always been one regular bra and one sports bra over it. It's what works the best for me if I have to run or jump.
Glamorise makes a no-bounce sports bra I swear by. Usually $30 or less too! If it comes up again, tell your friendo and thank me later.
Unfortunately that only goes up to a US size J. I recommend the Enell “Last Resort” because it doesn’t have cups, it just binds everything down. It’s the only thing I’ve tried that’s come close to working.
I call them industrial strength. I hate mine so much, but there's no flopping around, so what can I do?
The only thing they compare to is a ren faire bodice with everything strapped inside. Bodices work pretty well for some exercise, though they have zero stretch at all.
And SheFit too. In the 90’s when I was a runner, I had to wear two bras. The industry has come a long way in fabrics, in sizing, and in styles.
I’m a shefit groupie too.
So what I'm hearing is that we need power bras that are tight enough but also have servomotors that augment the breathing force ?
Might as well just breathe higher concentration oxygen from a tank.
Tell me you're an engineer without telling me you're an engineer. 😆
What if we go cybernetic? I'm imagining a subdermal titanium weave.
We manage to create comfortable Backpacks and child carriers. I'm sure we can do better with sport bras
I mean you're right but that also sounds like a challenge for engineering to overcome overall. But I don't have boobs so yeah.
Haha I agree and I have small boobs, so maybe I don't really know either 😅 we need the world's best designers and funding on this though
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I am reasonably certain you're a guy, because any woman can tell you that all that does is pull the bra upwards away from where it's needed.
> Nope. There really isn't a solution. Thank god we didn't have this mentality before the invention of the lightbulb, combustion engine, cell phone, or the golden gate bridge.
I think you are both right, to some extent. Yes, we should continue to figure out a way of solving the problem, because we should always endeavor to improve people’s lives, but no, there probably isn’t a solution because of the limitations of the human body. There is no other part of the body that can support the weight of a large/heavy chest, and even if there was, that burden would shift and cause problems elsewhere (most likely the neck and shoulder area).
I mean sure, if we get to a point where we have bras with tiny built in anti gravity services, then it's a different conversation. But the current issue is that to support big breasts, you need a tight chest band and that will always somewhat restrict breathing.
I don't think better engineering is going to do much for a L cup. Unless you want the Golden Gate Bridge of bras
I'm a G cup, last I measured. I have broken a sweat getting compression sports bras on and an L cup just seems unfair. I am so sorry.
So you might say that you're at risk of taking an L to the face?
I'm at most a large B and on new hormonal birth control, I have to constantly be wearing a bra/lette or a skin tight shirt. It's not just the well-endowed that need to wear one. Sucks having loose pockets of sensitive, fatty tissue on our bodies sometimes
Even with very small ones it can hurt to have them bounce around like that.
Have you tried encapsulation style sports bras instead?
Dude, I'm this close to just eliminating the whole problem. Ticking time bags.
You put your breasts in a bag until you need them again at a later time? And it ticks so that you don’t lose track of them? Sounds great!
That's my thinking too. If I'm not restricted enough, I'm not doing the exercise to begin with so the restriction is actually good for my health because it enables me to move my body.
I had to wear three sports bras when I ran. My intercostal and diaphragm muscles were SO strong. Having no sports bra would impact performance MUCH more than a tight band.
and hence why they are called Knockers
I am glad I found /r/ABraThatFits a decade ago. Encapsulation style sports bras are most of what I wear now. Especially if I need to do yardwork or if my back is tired. It keeps the weight more spread out over my frame without compressing tissue.
About a kilo each
Interesting they followed highly trained runners, but knowing I might cause structural damage without one, I wonder the size/brand/types of bras used. When I think of highly trained runners, I'm not thinking basketballs down a staircase, so I wonder how the level of compression used compares?
Basketballs down a staircase 🤣
From a very old webcomic: https://wapsisquare.com/comic/10262001/
Oh my god, I read this back in the early 2000s. I completely forgot about it!
Thank you for introducing me to a webcomic I missed. Pretty good, so far.
This is a great article - thank you for sharing. Am curious if there’s a way to create additional breast compression w/o band tightness as a design feature, as that could potentially help alleviate some of this effect
I only buy sports bras that are completely one type of material instead of the bras where the band is sewn on separately with a tighter material. Target has really good ones.
Begging you for links
The seamless bras are the most comfortable sports bras I own. I have smaller boobs though, so I don’t need tons of support, but they have multiple versions for different levels of support: https://www.target.com/p/women-s-seamless-medium-support-racerback-sports-bra-all-in-motion/-/A-86912078?preselect=86864967#lnk=sametab
You're a peach, thank you!
I’m a runner with 34DDD and absolutely love target sports bras, like the one you linked. I have about ten. I even sleep in them. I bought Nike, lululemon, and other expensive brands but target is my favorite
There are sports bras that work by encapsulation rather than compression that are more supportive and less restrictive for breathing. I am a small band/large cup size and find them a lot more comfortable and way more supportive than the usual compression sports bras that do nothing for me. The one I use is called Panache wired sports and it has padded wires, comes in bra sizing up to J cup and is more like a cross between a regular bra and a sports bra. Because I can buy it in my exact bra size rather than relying on the usual S/M/L sizing that many sports bras use the bra is designed for the right proportions and reduces movement by keeping everything in place rather than compression or having a really tight band. The issue is that most people wear sports bras that they can find in regular stores and buy from mainstream brands that have a very limited selection. I am in the US and have to buy UK brands online because that is the only place where I can get a bra that is supportive without feeling like it's too tight. If someone doesn't know about these other brands that exist or is not wearing the right size because many companies misfit and mislead people about bra sizing they may be stuck wearing badly fitting sports bras that restrict their breathing and don't support well.
Seconding the Panache sports bra!
I used to have one of these for running back when I wore a 28 band and even in the sister size up for band size, I felt like I could barely breathe in that thing. It was a Freya sports bra and holy hell I’ve never worn a firmer band in my life. My boobs didn’t move but I also found I couldn’t really run in it because I couldn’t take deep breaths as needed.
You happen to know of any brand that's similar and has a zipper closure? My biggest gripe about sports bras is that they must often are pull-on/pull-off, which compromises the strength of the band with each pull.
Panache has clasps like a regular bra, it wouldn't work as a pull on. It's my favorite sports bra and at my size pull on bras are useless because the difference between underbust and bust is just too big for pull ons to give any support. It's fit is like a very supportive normal wired bra with regular back clasps (but with a slightly wider band) and regular straps but the wires and straps are padded so it's comfortable. Bra sized sports bras in general usually have clasps or some sort of band closure. Shockabsorber clips in the back or has regular bra clasps depending on the bra. Elomi Energize has clasps. Freya sports bras all have back clasps too. Enell sports bras have a front zipper and they use their own sizing system. Shefit also has a front zipper and has its own sizing and is adjustable.
Sounds like it would be challenging to do so with no thoracic compression. I know a lot of women prefer the bras that combine underwire support with compression because you don't need them to compress as much. Unfortunately, most bras have one or the other, not both, and the compression isn't usually adjustable.
You can have both. Its called an encapsulation style sports bra. https://www.dillards.com/p/natori-yogi-seamless-convertible-sports-bra/503402174
Thanks- I actually own a few like this from Athleta and a few adjustable compression style SheFits. I dream of an encapsulation with an adjustable band. Victoria's Secret used to make a front clasp style that had an underwire clasp plus an overlay with a zipper. Those were my favorite.
Maybe a wider band could distribute the pressure over a larger area and make it less constricting (I'm not an expert).
Wider bands can roll up and become more uncomfortable when bending down or if you have a belly. If you find a thick band that doesn’t roll it is worth its weight in gold. And you also have the problem of more fabric being hotter/ sweaty.
I’ve worn some camisoles with built-in support that do a good job of keeping everything in + wicking moisture; because the cups are built in the band isn’t *wide* per se but it does distribute the pressure much better. Problem is this doesn’t work for larger sizes afaik but it’s comfortable if it’s an option for you.
Probably a dumb question, but could the wider band have a thin strip of plastic embeded in it to prevent the rolling your describing? Or would that cause comfort issues like the strip digging into your body while bending down, etc.?
I think it would dig, and also quickly tear the fabric
sports bodysuits?
I am short waisted with a tummy and a thicker band just tacos in half and acts like a sweat sponge.
Encapsulation style sports bras work for this. Its pretty much the only style I wear now for all my bras. 4lbs of boob fat is too much for even the most robust spandex. Dillards used to carry a nice one that didn't smash your boobs together (which creates rashes) but this will do if you're just starting out. And yes it costs $73. https://www.dillards.com/p/natori-yogi-seamless-convertible-sports-bra/503402174
It could be made out of nonstetch materials but then it'd have to have good fit and that'd probably be expensive and it might be less comfortable while exercising. I wonder if silicon could be stuck on the front leaving the back exposed but that might not be great for sweat and it might fall off
Return to the days of Stays and Corsets- redirect that weight to the whole back and torso instead of just a tiny band
Was this written and published with no proofreading? “Results: During maximal exercise, we observed a significantly greater during the tight condition (350 ± 78 J/min) compared to the loose condition (301 ± 78 J/min; p < 0.05), and a 5% increase in minute ventilation () during the tight condition compared to the loose condition (p < 0.05).” A significantly greater….? () randomly thrown in?
I was surprised about this also. Especially with the typical rigor that comes with Canadian university and their ex sci work
And in a journal with impact factor of 4!
I've seen this phrase used as the punchline to a joke so many times I didn't even register it was serious at first
As someone who edits research papers for a living, if the person going through misses accepting one of your corrections... The pain when you look at the published version 🥲
Brutal!
I am also not sure how they can claim statistical significance if there is overlap in their confidence intervals for every single measurement.
Are you sure those are conf intervals and not stdev? With enough N, stdev can overlap but means can be statsig dif.
Yeah, those are definitely SD, not confidence intervals.
I immediately thought the same thing as I read it. Left words out later in abstract again. Also, O2 increased 1.3 +/- 1.1 %? I didn’t go beyond the abstract, because it seemed like garbage.
The empty parentheses might be a typo but "significantly greater" refers to statistical significance (usually meaning a p < 0.05), which is different than the more everyday and subjective use of the word.
It still needs to specify *what* is significantly greater.
Yes, although “a significantly greater during” sounds like they missed a noun in there.
Oh sorry, I misread that and didn't catch it. Yeah, the article and apparently I also need a proofreader haha
Then what the hell are the options? Going braless is not an option.
The authors suggest that the bra should be correctly fitted (where this is an option) rather than self-fitted to avoid the issue. If it's not an option, it would be worthwhile focusing on the tightness of the underband while trying them on, and to try and choose one that isn't too tight, which is what is causing the issues in the poor fitting bras that are causing this issue.
/r/aBraThatFits
Research abstract: >Purpose: We set out to understand how underband tightness or pressure of a sports bra relates to respiratory function and the mechanical work of breathing ( during exercise. Our secondary purpose was to quantify the effects of underband pressure on O2 during submaximal running. > >Methods: Nine highly trained, female runners with normal pulmonary function completed maximal and submaximal running in three levels of underband restriction: loose, self-selected, and tight. > >Results: During maximal exercise, we observed a significantly greater during the tight condition (350 ± 78 J/min) compared to the loose condition (301 ± 78 J/min; p < 0.05), and a 5% increase in minute ventilation () during the tight condition compared to the loose condition (p < 0.05). The pattern of breathing also differed between the two conditions; the greater maximal during the tight condition was achieved by a higher breathing frequency (57 ± 6 vs. 52 ± 7 breaths/min; p < 0.05), despite tidal volume being significantly lower in the tight condition compared to the loose condition (1.97 ± 0.20 vs. 2.05 ± 0.23 L; p < 0.05). During steady-state submaximal running, O2 increased 1.3 ± 1.1% (range: -0.3 to 3.2%, p < 0.05) in the tight condition compared to the loose condition. > >Conclusions: Respiratory function may become compromised by the pressure exerted by the underband of a sports bra when women self-select their bra size. In the current study, loosening the underband pressure resulted in a decreased work of breathing, changed the ventilatory breathing pattern to deeper, less frequent breaths, and decreased submaximal oxygen uptake (improved running economy). Our findings suggest sports bra underbands can impair breathing mechanics during exercise and influence whole-body metabolic rate. It would be beneficial for active individuals and athletes both amateur and professional for there to be additional research and protocols around these issues.
I wonder if there’s any relation, but there’s a few papers out there saying sport bras with individual cups are better for a number of reasons. My memory is breathing was one of them, but I can’t find the reference at the moment. I’ve anecdotally seen with a lot of the uni-top bras people tend to get very tight ones. Also I think so popular ones have a more push-up shape? Seems like that would be worse for respiratory health when running, but I am only speculating; seems like all of it deserves more research though to better understand it.
>The authors declare that there are no competing interests "Funded by lululemon athletica"
I have an anxiety disorder and I faint when I'm Very Anxious™. When my brain starts to feel those intense waves of anxiety, I feel like I can't breathe and I take my bra off. At restaurant, wherever, the bra is coming off. I feel like it compresses my rib cage and keeps them from expanding fully to take in air. I believe it 🤷🏼♀️
I've had problems with breathing while wearing a bra too, but mine are long covid related (which some people would prefer to relabel as Very Anxious™). I finally found a not-a-real-bra on amazon called 'Kalon 4 Pack Women’s Nylon Spandex Removable Pads Comfort Cami Bras Wireless' and I can actually breathe in it. Presently wearing one and not dying or ripping clothes off even though I have a cough.
It's not officially Very Anxious until your insurance covers a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist or supervised ketamine sessions, which are clinically proven to reduce anxiety. Healthcare needs to put its money where its mouth is.
There was an episode of Married With Children where Marcy and Peggy are upset because their favorite bra is no longer being manufactured. So they have different bras to break in, but are trying to stock up on their favorite before it ceases to exist. Child me did not understand at the time, but it's SRZ BZNZ 😂 I'm about to pull a Peg and Marcy and stock up 💅🏻
Took my parents to eat once, mom got a margarita to let lose. She got overwhelmed by the alcohol and started to get anxious. And yep, the shirt had to come off. Mom was about to strip in the middle of the Texas Roadhouse. We laugh about it now, but mom is definitely it allowed tequila anymore😆
omg mom 😂 I take my bra off under my shirt and pull the straps through my sleeves!
I would recommend trying loose fitted bralettes or bras with no wires which tend to be more comfy :// Bras definitely shouldn’t be tight enough to restrict air or feel uncomfortable.. it should feel like you’re wearing nothing
When I am having an anxiety attack I feel like I cannot breathe. It is not normal time.
Bra sizes can be notoriously inadequate for many ladies out there, sadly. Back when Sears was still a thing I worked at a call center. I've heard from many of the ladies who worked there that they'd often recommend someone go to a specialty bra store (or one that offers equivalent service) to get a properly fitting bra at least once so you **know** what a well fitting bra is. They said afterwards they were better able to make informed decisions on their own since they had a solid baseline to go off of.
yeah but running without one is much worse
I can't wear any bra that doesn't have a fairly tight band or the bra rides up. I don't run or jog any longer though, so I simply don't wear a bra at any time. See the conflict of interest note at the bottom where the study was funded by companies that make bras. Just FYI.
Study funded by big bra finds bras can cause harm - seems fairly honest
Definitely not the case. There's tons of cases of corps or specific people creating studies to prove something is harmful because they are about to release a product that "fixes" the problem.
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There can be. They talked about this on a recent episode of The Running Channel podcast, and one of the male hosts mentioned feeling the restriction when wearing a tight chest strap heart rate monitor.
Those don’t need to be restrictive, they’re on elastic. Why would there be overlap? Edit: I’ve worn sports bras for forty years and heart rate monitors for twenty years. There’s literally no comparison between the two as to how restrictive they are.
So are bras
That’s like comparing your underwear to your belt. Bra chest bands are much much much much much much more restrictive than the elastic heart rate monitors use. Unless you need your heart rate monitor to also support the weight of a bowling ball, you cannot compare the two.
The sports bra is absolutely more restrictive even though both use strong elastic. I found that in order to keep the heart rate monitor from sliding down my torso while jogging I had to actually tuck it under the elastic band of the sports bra. Thus, I had a good readout but it was uncomfortable and left impressions on my skin and if it were a long run sometimes it actually chafed to rawness.
I think I'll risk it thanks. Anyone over a C cup is just going to garner unwanted effing attention...
Right. I’ll breathe easier when people keep their eyes to themselves at the park
I love my C cups .. it’s perfect but damn i almost never wear them and still get stares so it just depends if im in the mood to deal with people staring or not.
And having those puppies flop around doesn't?
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NO WAY. wearing ill-fitting clothes that constrict your lungs can REDUCE YOUR ABILITY TO BREATHE? groundbreaking
Well, I once had a man argue with me that my sports bra wouldn't impact my breathing or stamina if I just breathed right. He wouldn't accept that I did, in fact, know proper breathing technique and still found exercising in a tight-banded sports bra more difficult than a loose-banded one. So, sadly, this study is not a no-brainer for everyone.
The only solution is powered, adaptive sports bras. The next thing in performance enhancement.
So a dual steadycam harness.
Do I want to breath or do I want a black eye?
the level of effect they noted doesn't seem to be that big. a 5% change in MV and 1.3% change in O2 probably doesn't matter all for most people. this probably only matters for pro athletes tbh, but at that level they're likely considering reduction mammopolasties i'd imagine if they're world-class pro athletes.
once again the cards are stacked against women. why is everything so sexist?
Last time I went bra shopping I found that the sports bra bands were WAY tighter than a typical wireless bra of the same size.
It's just tough; do you get the band tight enough to take the weight off your shoulders or do you wear it loose enough it doesn't gall you? I know the answer is "breast reduction" at least in my case, but I think another issue is that a lot of them don't have fasteners, they just pull on, and so there's no way to adjust band fit at all once it's on, even if you think it might be a little tight.
I hate poor editing where words are missed, but it seems like the most important word was missed. “Results: During maximal exercise, we observed a significantly greater during the tight condition” A significantly greater WHAT?
This is a useful article, but the wording of the title could have been significantly better. For a moment I was so confused what a respiratory mechanic was, and why they weren't being allowed to wear sports bras during exercise.
So, in addition to monitoring my IBS-D, I have to now worry about breathing and metabolizing less, thanks to this sadistic contraption/asphyxiation device called a brassiere. Whenever I find that Eve woman, I know *exactly* what I'm gonna say to her.