All You Need to Know About Sports Bra l Types and Styles
A sports bra is your armour and a good one can save you from a frustrating workout experience. Nobody likes to go through discomfort when her breasts bounce and chafe during a workout session, let alone spotting with red marks and spillage.
Of course, finding the right type of sports bra needs more consideration than getting a pair of leggings and we have done the homework for you.
Here’s what you need to know about the different types and styles of sports bras to help identify the one that fits nicely for you.
Types of sports bra for different levels of workout
A sports bra is engineered in different types to support three different intensity levels of workouts - there are high-impact workouts such as running, HIIT, mountain biking; medium-impact workouts like Zumba, or road cycling as well as low-impact activities such as yoga, Pilates, and even walking.
It’s okay to wear a high-impact sports bra for your yoga session but not the other way round; wearing a low support sports bra for running would cause breast sagging instead due to vigorous movement. What do these sports bras look like?
Low support sports bra – Designed with thinner straps and bands, this sports bra is typically more lightweight and comes in a pullover style without band adjustment. Ideal for A or B cups, its construction mainly compresses your breast against the chest wall without any cups design.
Medium support sports bra – The typical features include wider bands and straps than the low support sports bra, which can restrict more of your breast movement too. The construction combines both compression and encapsulation styles to provide natural shaping and support.
High support sports bra – Consist of wider bands with optional design to adjust the shoulder straps, the high support sports bra is meant to hold your bust firmly in place, through compression and molded cups. For D cup or larger sizes, it’s suggested to choose the one with these functions for a comfortable fit.
Violeta High Support Strappy Sports Bra
Tips to choose the right kind of sports bra
#1 Stretch the band and check the panels – How to check if the band is fitting? Between the band and your body, your sports bra should fit two fingers and not more.
Since the bottom band offers major support for your breast, ensure that it hugs your rib cage. A pro tip – avoid narrow bands because they provide less support than the wider ones.
For zero breast spillage, make sure the side and back panels can snug your upper body nicely.
#2 Choose adjustable straps – No doubt that the pullover sports bra gives you simpler days, however, for those with a fuller bust, adjustable straps are more ideal to provide you better chest support and a customizable fit!
Unlike a pullover sports bra that could lose its elasticity over time, you can also adjust the straps for continued support too. That way, you won’t have to spend so much purchasing a new sports bra in a short period of time.
#3 Find more coverage – Unless you’re wearing in the name of fashion and styling, any sports bra that barely covers your chest will not give you sufficient support for your workout, even stretching.
The more coverage it has, the greater support you get. These supports come in maintaining the shape of your breasts, reducing breast pain to regulating your blood circulation and sweat absorption.
#4 Made with sweat-wicking fabrics – All sports bras should come with moisture-wicking tech that can regulate your body temperature as you sweat excessively. This function is crucial to help prevent chafing and rashes!
Sports bra styles you should know
#1 Racerback – Any sports bra with shoulder straps that creates a Y shape is typically known as racerback. It’s also the most common pullover style sports bra, although some ladies are not fond of the shoulder straps because of the pressure it puts on their necks.
Still, racerback is ideal for medium- to high-impact activities as it provides increased support for a wide range of motion.
Basic Racerback Front Strap Sports Bra
#2 Crisscross – Beautifully constructed on the back for aesthetic reasons, the crisscross straps are usually thin, come in multiple and provide low support compared to other strap styles. Compared to other functional styles, you can make a fashion statement with this one.
Iron Fairy Breathe-in Strappy Open Back Active Bra
#3 Tank-top style – The straps work similarly to the everyday bra. You can customise your fit with adjustable straps with more options to crisscross for versatility!
Iron Fairy Racer Back Detail Sports Bra
#4 High Neck – Apart from offering the best functionality for all kinds of workouts, the high neck style covers up the front completely with maximum support. They are perfect for flaunting your shoulders and arms.
#5 Front zip – Designed to put the work of removing sports bra at ease, the handy front zipper function offers plenty of support with easy-on and easy-off features.
Front Zipped Crossback Crop Top
#6 Seamless – Single knitted with one shape construction, the fabric usually feels light and soft on your skin. This seamless style appears without any stitches around your arms, on the neckline or shoulders, and also underbust. It completely eliminates the chances of chafing or other skin irritations.
Elegant Crisscross Sports Bra
#7 Padded – Sports bras come with pad inserts that are great for adding chest shape and offer nipple protection. These pads are removable and their materials are usually light and breathable.
Strappy Knitted Active Sports Bra
Trendy Thin Strappy Sports Bra
#9 Crop Top - Crop top features a longline design with an extra-wide underbust band built more than just for the gym and running. It’s also a versatile piece to wear as stylish daily wear too.
Sports Bra Measuring Guide
Follow a basic guideline to find out your sports bra size and the process takes two measurements to calculate. All you need is a soft tape to get started.
Step 1 – Measure your underbust around the rib cage area. Round up the measurement to the closest inch or centimetres (cm).
The underbust measurement will help you to figure out your band size.
Step 2 - Measure your overbust. This refers to the fullest part of your bust. Round up the measurement to the nearest inches or centimetres (cm). To get your cup size, use your bust measurement to minus the underbust measurement.
The difference in inches is then referred to as your suggested cup size.
If you have any questions about the sizing measurement display on our website, feel free to contact our customer service to get advice.
Now you can shop a variety of sport bra styles here.
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