Finding the Perfect Sports Bra

By: JayEll Vaughn (@BlackGirlsRUN /@CurlzNPumpz)

I must admit, I am guilty to going in TJ Maxx or Target, and choosing a bra more on what the design looks like and on what I "think" my bra size is vs. getting professionally sized and fitted, and ultimately, paying more money. I am sure I am not the only who does this. Well, last week I walked into a local bra specialty store to get professionally fitted. I walked in wearing a 38 C. After trying on several bras, designs, fits, and so on, I walked out with with a 34 E! That's right, an E! For years (perhaps, that was the problem), I knew I had a good ol' C cup, nothing more, nothing less! So, figured I would share my experience and new knowledge of bras and breasts with the BGR! Nation. Black Girls RUN! has received several inquiries about finding the perfect sports bra, so BGR! took the time to sit down with Moving Comfort's Sara Woods, Marketing Manager, and Heather Cvitkovic, Senior Product Line Manager to ask some hot topic questions!

When looking for the perfect bra, the first thing is to decide what are you using it for? Not all bras are run specific. "Women think all bras are pull over, and that is just not the case. Just because your "girls" do not move while you are working out does not mean that the bra is the best support for you," comments Sara Woods. Women are not used to shopping for bras. There are a lot of different options, and so the traditional sports bra may not be the best fit. Moving Comfort's The Sports Bra Fitting Room is a great resource to help find the bra right for you. When getting fitted, it is important to know the fundamentals of the bra and how to support your breasts. The bottom band should fit snug and should not move. If your bra fits, it should not chafe. Also, the most important thing about finding the perfect sports bra is being properly fitted. The most suggested places to get fit would be a lingerie department at a Nordstrom's or Macy's or a specialty shop like Title Nine (west coast) or Fleet Feet Sports (national chain). High performance bras offer the most support for high impact activity. Three things to look for in a bra, are compression, encapsulation, or both (most support). When looking at a high performance bra, it is important to consider the adjustability to your shape. The Fiona is Moving Comfort's #1 best seller (pictured below) and has the front adjustable straps so you can adjust your bra 'on the go'.Moving Comfort also suggest Maia, the #2 best seller and is an under wire style (yes, you can wear under wire while working out!), and this is great for full busted women. Juno is their #3 (almost #2) best seller, and it is a racer-back style that has front adjustable straps and hook and eyes on the back for easier on and off. Moving Comfort also has 5 bras that have velcro straps as closures. Velcro straps are great because they lay flat and are easy to adjust while are running. Are you guilty of wearing an old cotton bra? Well, cotton is good for beginners. It offers more comfort than support tho. Cotton also holds sweat, and dries slower than a higher spandex which is a quick drier and offers more support. If your measurement for the band is accurate, then your sizing should be consistent with your lingerie bra, but again you should get properly fitted. Most women who wear the wrong band size are also wearing the wrong cup size (I am guilty!). If you are wearing a wrong band size, chafing can occur, and this can do long term damage to your breast tissue. It is all about being educated, especially for our younger women, and getting properly fitted. You can also chat with an expert on Moving Comfort. For the D+ ladies, encapsulation and compression, adjustability, and the hook and eye in the back is the best things to look for support. Under wire also helps with encapsulation. The wire wraps around the breasts and keep the girls within the cup, giving it a nice shape and more comfort. Moving Comfort is looking for women to wear test, especially DD ladies and women in Seattle who are 34D. Please visit Moving Comfort for more details. Your Bra Needs a Break! Did you know your bra should be replaced as often as you change your running shoes? If you have 3-4 bras, then you can probably change them less frequently. Bras should be air dried after being washed, and worn. Heat from the dryer breaks down the fibers that offer bra support. Bras can get 2-3 wears, as they need time to reset and refresh (depending on how much you sweat). We had a BGR! Twitter follower to ask if you should wear a more supportive bra during that time of the month. Heather Cvitkovic suggests that "its not that you need more support, its that during that time your breasts are more sensitive during this time. So, the adjustable straps are great for making those changes you need during your workouts." If you are joining BGR! in Atlanta for the Drive to Hunger Race Weekend, Moving Comfort will be doing bra fittings during the packet pick up for the Atlanta race at REI in September. Also, be on the lookout in July for a BGR and Moving Comfort Tweetchat party to ask all of your bra questions! I will follow up later this month with a blog post after trying out Moving Comfort's #1 and #2 best seller (Fiona and Maia), and let you know how they worked out! Moving Comfort's new Fall/Winter collection will launch July 10 with 3 new bra styles, so be on the look out! I now know that it is true that with a discount bra, you pay for what you get! After my bra fitting adventure, it is probably smarter to purchase one expensive bra vs. 2 cheap bras :-( I need to start investing in the "girls"! There are certain things you should not compromise, just like your running shoes! Your feet deserve as much TLC as your "girls" do! Photos provided by: Moving Comfort

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