How to Choose the Right Sports Bra, According to Experts

Whether you’re an avid exerciser or a newbie to sweat sessions, you probably know to make sure you’re dressed in the right gear for a workout. For many people, this includes a top-notch sports bra—a bra that’s specifically designed for physical activity, as it supports breast tissue and helps prevent discomfort and irritation. 

When you are doing repetitive movements or moving at a fast pace, your breasts can move around a great deal. But a sports bra can help reduce this movement, cut down on friction, limit irritation, and ultimately, support you against gravity. 

Understanding the Importance of a Sports Bra

A sports bra isn’t just for comfort—it is also to protect the safety and integrity of your breast tissue during exercise. When you leave the breasts unsupported during physical activity, it can lead to sagging, warns Amie Dworecki, BS, MA, MBA, a running coach. 

“Although breasts have no muscle, the skin and ligaments that give them their size and shape can break down, which can happen no matter what size breasts you have,” she says. “Also, wearing the wrong bra during activity can cause you to become distracted with adjustments, making a workout less enjoyable and potentially decreasing the quality of your training and even increasing your chance of injury when your focus is lost.”

Unlike a regular bra, a sports bra has unique design features that provide increased support, stability, and reduced breast movement during exercise. Some sports bras even have cups that include specific structures to minimize movement and ensure that the breast tissue remains inside the bra at all times. This can be especially beneficial for those with larger breasts.

“The enhanced compression and fit of the materials add support compared to just an everyday bra, and the wider, adjustable, or connected styles of the straps allow for less movement with the support that can help reduce or eliminate pain,” says Dworecki.  

Determining Your Size and Support Level

Shopping for a sports bra size is similar to shopping for the bra you wear on a daily basis. However, there are a few things to consider that will ensure the bra keeps up with your chosen exercise routine. Here is what you need to know.

Don’t Size Up or Down

Because a sports bra is meant to fit snugly, it’s a good idea to buy the size that fits you well and, potentially even a size smaller than you’d purchase for a bra you’d wear daily. Dworecki also suggests regularly recalculating your bra size, as it’s common, especially for women, to change sizes due to aging, pregnancy, hormonal shifts, or weight gain. 

Measure Correctly

To measure for your correct sizing, Dworecki recommends using a soft tape measure, and measuring without a bra on or wearing a non-padded bra that doesn’t change the shape of your breasts. 

“First, measure just under your breasts around your rib cage and round the number down to the nearest inch,” she says. “Next measure around your chest, just under your arms and above your bust, while exhaling and relaxing your shoulders.” This can help you decide whether you need a sports bra for smaller breasts over a regular sports bra.

For your cup size, she recommends measuring from the fullest point of your breasts, also known as your “bust.” If your breasts are different sizes, she suggests sizing up or opting for an adjustable sports bra that can provide an even more exact fit. 

Consider Type of Support Needed

Not all sports bras are created equal, especially when it comes to support. That’s why Dworecki recommends figuring out which type of support you’ll need based on your breast size as well as your chosen physical activity. 

Sports bras tend to come in low, medium, and high-impact varieties. Low impact is best for gentle workouts like yoga, pilates, barre, walking, or stretching while high impact is better for more vigorous workouts like running, kickboxing, dance, or HIIT. Medium impact sports bras can work for high-impact exercises if you have small breasts, but may be better for medium-impact workouts like weight training or hiking regardless of your breast size. 

To match sports bras with specific activities, Giulini Wever, certified trainer and fitness director at 28, suggests considering the level of impact and breast movement involved. "Opt for a low-impact sports bra for low-intensity activities, a medium-impact sports bra for moderate-intensity exercises, and a high-impact sports bra for high-intensity and high-impact activities. Choosing the right sports bra for the activity ensures proper support, reduces breast discomfort, and minimizes the risk of long-term damage."

Key Features to Look for in a Sports Bra

You also need to consider which features are important to you when shopping for a sports bra. Here are a few important things to look for when making your decision.

Adjustable Straps

If you’re in between sizes, have breasts that are different sizes, or simply want the most customized fit possible, it can be helpful to purchase a sports bra that has adjustable straps. When shopping for a sports bra with adjustable straps, Dworecki recommends making sure that the straps hold your adjustments securely. Otherwise, the straps may slip down when you don’t want them to, like during a run or a fitness class.

Underwire

While not all sports bras have an underwire, this feature can be quite helpful. An underwire helps support each breast separately, which helps cut down on unnecessary movement.

Dworecki recommends making sure that any underwire sports bra you purchase feels comfortable. “It should lay flat against your ribcage and stay below your breasts without poking or pinching you.”

Padding

While it sounds like padding would be a feature added for comfort, it’s often for aesthetic reasons to reduce the appearance of nipple protrusion and to make the breasts look fuller. If you’re looking for either of these benefits, you should consider a sports bra that offers padding.  

Encapsulation vs. Compression Styles

Some sports bras feature a compression style, which holds both breasts together firmly against your body while others, known as encapsulation styles, have a cup for each breast, often with an underwire in place.

Compression styles tend to work better for A, B, and C cups, according to Dworecki while encapsulation sports bras are better for larger breasts as well as anyone performing high-impact exercises. These bras are better at reducing bounce and strain and can reduce sagging in the long term.  

“Encapsulation-compression sports bras represent a combo of the two,” she says. “They fix your breasts in place with individual cups, press them against your body, and tend to use underwires and can work well for all bust sizes, especially DD+.”

Moisture-Wicking Fabric

Moisture-wicking technology is a plus for any type of exercise gear you invest in, but especially when it comes to sports bras since this area of your body tends to get the most sweaty during a workout. Meanwhile, fabrics like cotton tend to retain moisture.

Dworecki recommends opting for sports bras that contain moisture-wicking fabrics like polyester, which doesn’t soak up water as other materials can. “Nylon is another moisture-wicking and water-repellent fabric that can absorb more water than polyester. However, it is more durable than polyester, so it can last longer." 

Back Enclosures

While some sports bras are designed to be put on directly over your head, others have back enclosures that are similar to regular-use bras. Many people find that those with back enclosures are easier to put on, since sports bras tend to be snug.

Back enclosures also come in handy post-workout when you’re dripping with sweat and can further customize your fit, says Dworecki. “It also can be helpful to get a sports bra that fits with the loosest hook so that as the bra stretches out over time, you can tighten it up to last longer.”

How to Find the Right Sports Bra

If you’re a runner, you’ll want a sports bra designed for the sport, meaning one that’s high-impact so that it’s supportive and limits motion to keep you secure and comfortable, says Dworecki. “Running sports bras are also made of technical, wicking material to keep you cool and allow your skin to breathe."

Look for high-impact sports bras and choose wider straps, especially if you have a larger bust. Clasps can also be helpful as long as they are secure in a running motion and will not come undone.

For lower-impact exercises like yoga or pilates, you can opt for lower-impact sports bras that offer less support, since you’ll likely be doing less intense movements. Comfort is key with bras for low-impact, so you should be able to move freely. Moisture-wicking fabrics will still come in handy since you will likely still sweat. 

For weightlifting, Wever recommends choosing a medium to high-impact sports bra that provides stability and support. Other features she recommends include encapsulation or compression style, adjustable straps, a wide elastic band as well as moisture-wicking and quick-drying fabrics to manage sweat during intense weightlifting sessions.

As far as the style goes, racerback can also be nice for high to low-intensity workouts, since they provide greater mobility, notes Dworecki. “Because the straps are not adjustable, ensuring your fit is right from the start is crucial. Racerback styles also benefit those who get annoyed when a strap can fall to the side while working out, especially as the sports bra stretches and ages.”

Evaluating Fit

Just like with any other type of clothing, it’s a good idea to try on various sizes and styles until you find the one that feels best on your body and for your chosen physical activity.

“The sports bra should be snug but not tight and should not restrict your breathing—two fingers between the straps and your shoulders can indicate a good fit—and the cup should be smooth, without wrinkles, which could mean the cup is too big,” says Dworecki. “If there is an underwire, it should lay flat against your rib cage without pinching or gapping.”

While a snug fit is optimal, it also shouldn’t be too restricting or, worse, dig into your skin. You may want to move and perform typical exercise motions while trying on sports bras to assess its support and comfort.

Care and Maintenance

Because sports bras are often washed more frequently than other undergarments you wear, try to ensure that you’re not compromising quality or longevity when caring for your product. Dworecki offers these tips for how to prolong the life of your sports bras.

Wash After Every Workout: Washing your sports bras after every workout, especially the super sweaty ones, can cut down on unpleasant odors and help prevent bacteria, fungi, and yeast build-up. Wearing a bra more than once can cause the material to retain odor even after it has been washed.

Wash By Hand: While you certainly can throw your sports bras in the washing machine, washing them by hand helps enhance their longevity. Dworecki recommends avoiding the use of regular detergent and instead opting for a gentle hand or laundry soap or shampoo. “Pre-soak the sports bra in soapy water for 20-30 minutes, then lightly scrub the fabric with your hands,” she says. “Drain the dirty water and rinse with cold water until you’ve rinsed out all the soap.”

Use a Lingerie Bag: If you do wash your sports bras in the machine, she recommends using a lingerie bag so that they don’t get twisted up with your other laundry. Also, she suggests washing them on a delicate-cycle setting and using cold water. 

Air Dry: If you have the time, it’s best to air dry your sports bras. This helps reduce shrinkage since hot air can cause the elastic to degrade faster. Dworecki recommends against hang drying since it can stretch out the straps.

Replace When It Loses Its Integrity: Typically, it’s time to replace a sports bra if you notice back or breast pain, chafing, the band moving up, or the straps moving around too much or digging in, says Dworecki. “If it has lost its supportiveness or feels stretched out, it’s time to start shopping for a new one."

Bottom Line

Choosing the right sports bra for any activity ensures optimal support, comfort, and breast health. While shopping for a sports bra is not always easy, with a little bit of patience and know-how you can find the right fit, style, and features for you.