Every woman wants to be well-protected, especially when it comes to fitness and athletics and that’s where a padded sports bra comes in.
One of the reasons why many women athletes favor padded sports bras is because of the additional protection as well as the additional coverage they provide. This can be especially important for large-busted women or women who work out regularly in crowded fitness centers with far too many strangers milling around. The padding is not very bulky and that extra layer or two can give a woman athlete the physical and psychological sense of protection she wants.
Fortunately the methods for selecting a padded sports bra are the same as for choosing any other kind of athletic bra: support, motion control and “wicking,” or moisture relief.
Women who engage in such sports as basketball, running, soccer or horseback riding need the maximum amount of control. Most athletic bra makers do provide the control rating of their garments. In general however, if you need ultimate control for your sport or exercise, you need to look for an athletic bra with fully constructed, molded cups. The bra should use encapsulation to separate your breasts and compression to minimize bounce. Women who have bra sizes of a D cup or larger should typically wear a bra with maximum control for all athletic activities, no matter what their intensity.
If your sport is volleyball, tennis, jogging, mountain biking and the like, look for a padded sports bra with extra stretch knit into the style, along with cushioned underwires for support. Again, you will want molded cups and possibly stability panels as well for support and shape.
Activities such as walking, cycling, spinning or hiking require a medium amount of support for most average-sized women. Even at this lower motion control level, a padded sports bra can help provide support, stability and modesty.
Getting The Extra Protection You Need With A Padded Sports Bra
It is essential when choosing any kind of athletic bra to get the right size and that means getting a proper bra fitting. You can get a good bra fitting at any lingerie or dress shop or the women’s section of a department store. Getting a proper bra fitting will put you ahead of the 80 percent of women who are wearing the wrong size bra.
To determine the band size, measure right under the bust after you’ve exhaled completely. If your band measurement is an even number, add 4 inches to get the proper band size. If it’s an odd number, add 5 inches. This will match your measurements to the way that women’s bra sizes are numbered.
To find out your bust size, measure across the fullest part of your breasts, then subtract the band measurement from the bust measurement. This tells you your cup size. Generally, each inch of difference equates to one cup size, so if your band size is 38 and your bust measurement is 40, you wear a 38C.
Correct measurements will at least get you into a range of proper sizes for a padded sports bra to protect you.
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