Does your run get cut short due to your sports bra chafing? Can you not wait to take your sports bra off when you finish a workout? Do you bulge out the top of your sports bra when doing yoga? Chances are your sports bra size is wrong!
Did you know that up to 8 in 10 women wear the wrong bra size? Wow, it is no wonder we can’t wait to take our sports bras off the minute we walk in the door! Interestingly of that 80%, 7 in 10 wear bras that are too small.
You can wear the best sports bra in the world but if it is the wrong size it isn’t going to do the job it is designed for. Support and comfort are what we want and this we won’t get if our size is wrong.
So, how do we tell if our sports bra size is wrong? Easy, simply put your sports bra on, stand in front of your bathroom mirror and check my 10 signs your sports bra size is wrong.
Sign 1: Your Band Rides up at The Back.
This is one of the most common bra size issues and an easy one to solve. Firstly, how do you check if you have a problem? Easy, check your back band in the mirror (how flexible are you!) It should sit horizontally to the floor in line with the underside of your breasts. If it arcs upwards, you have a problem.
The first thing to check is if your shoulder straps are too tight. Effectively pulling your band up. If they are a simple loosening should solve the problem. Just not too loose, they still need to do their job!
If this doesn’t help it is likely your band size is too big. As such you want to tighten your shoulder straps to compensate causing the band to ride up.
Easy fix, simply go down a band size.
Sign 2: Your Straps Keep Falling Down.
Sports bra straps are designed to hold you up. So, when they drop down so do your breasts!
The cause, most likely they are not tight enough or have stretched over time. As a rule, you should check and adjust your shoulder straps with each wear. Tighten them to the point where you can slip two fingers under the straps. If after adjusting they continue to loosen then it is time for a new sports bra.
Loose straps can also be a sign that your cups are too big. If you are unable to tighten your straps correctly due to an excess of cup material, then you need to go down a cup size.
If you have narrow or sloping shoulders, then you may find that no amount of strap adjusting helps. If this is you, then try a cross-back or racerback style. This will keep the straps anchored to your torso preventing slipping.
Sign 3: Your Straps Dig into Your Shoulders.
The opposite of the previous sign and a common issue for many women. Especially those with bigger busts. Larger bust = heavier = sore shoulders!
A solution many women employ is to tighten their shoulder straps in the hope that things are kept more under control. Unfortunately, this only exacerbates the problem further. Shoulder straps provide about 20% of sports bra support with the remaining 80% coming from the band.
And there lies the solution. A snug-fitting band will help take the pressure off your shoulders. Also, consider a sports bra with wide padded straps to help spread the load (so to speak!)
Sign 4: Your Breasts Spill Over
It can feel nice to show a little cleavage but having your breasts spill out the top of your sports bra is not so nice. And it isn’t good for your breasts either. Any unsupported breast tissue will bounce. Once again this can be more of an issue if you have a bit more up top.
The obvious cause is your cups are too small forcing you out of the top. But before you rush out and buy a new sports bra check the positioning of your breasts within the cup. Are your breasts positioned evenly within your cups or are there gaps in the bottom of your cup? If not, adjust your breasts to fit evenly within the cup.
If this doesn’t help, then go up a cup size. You will know you are on the money when there is a smooth transition from skin to cup.
Sign 5: Your Cups Are Wrinkly, Baggy, or Bulging
Your cups should be full but not overflowing. With your sports bra on the strand in front of the mirror and check for a nice smooth silhouette. There should not be any wrinkles or bagginess in your cups. If there is try adjusting your breasts in the cups. If they still don’t completely fill the cups, then consider a smaller cup size.
This can also happen with a sports bra that once fitted perfectly in the cups. Over time sports bras stretch. The materials begin to break down and bags and wrinkles start to appear (sound familiar!) In this case, a new sports bra rather than a smaller cup size is the solution.
Sign 6: Your Band Gapes in the Back
We already know your sports bra band offers 80% of the support. To do this it needs to be snug. ‘Can slide two fingers under it’ snug. If it gapes at the back (most commonly) or simply feels loose then it is not giving you the support, you need.
Try tightening the band to a tighter clasp. If this doesn’t help, then go down a band size to get the snug fit you need.
Sign 7: You Get Back Bulge
I get asked a lot ‘do you have a sports bra that covers back fat?’ My usual answer is ‘how does your bra band fit? Bulging over your bra band, particularly at the back, is a common problem with an easy solution.
The likely cause is your band is too tight. Remember the ‘two finger’ test? A band need to be snug not tight. If you can’t fit two fingers under the band when on, then loosen the band or go up a band size.
Sign 8: There’s Space Between Cup and Chest.
The purpose of a sports bra is to keep your breasts closer to your chin than your knees! And having space between your cups and torso allows things to creep closer to the lower.
There are two reasons this can occur. If your cups are too small, then your breasts can be squashed out. Most commonly out the top but also, they can escape out the bottom. To give them more space go up a cup size.
The second reason is your band is too loose allowing your girls to escape south. This problem is exacerbated during exercise. Bounce + gravity = escape! To stop this simply tighten your band or try a smaller band.
Sign 9: Your Breasts Do Not Rest Against the Cup Bottom.
This is the opposite to sign 8; your breasts do not fill the cup bottom. Your brand isn’t going to hold you up if there is nothing above it to support!
We already know your cup should be evenly full but not over-flowing. If there is empty space at the bottom of your cups, then consider going down a cup size.
Sign 10: Your Hook and Eye Clasp is on the Tightest Hook
If your brand-new sports bra fits like this, then the band is too big. A new sports bra should fit snugly on the loosest hook. This will allow you to tighten the band as it inevitably stretches over time. Allowing you to extend your sports bras working life.
If this occurs with your much-loved sports bra then it has stretched to its limit and it is time to consider a new sports bra. Even the best sports bras need to be retired. Remember a sports bra should never have a birthday!
In Conclusion
There you have it. My ‘10 Signs Your Sports Bra Size is Wrong’ list is done and dusted. Everything you need to check to ensure you have the correct size sports bra for you.
If you find that your present sports bra size is incorrect check out sportsbrasdirect.com.au. They have an awesome range of sports bras and a unique ‘Sports Bra Finder to help you find the best possible sports bra for you!
Yours in support.
Amy x
