Sports Bras

How to Wear a Sports Bra Properly: Find the Sports Bra That Fits You Best

a woman in an orange sports bra sitting down and smiling.

With different types and impact levels for sports bras available, knowing what to wear for what exercise is crucial to protect yourself!


There is nothing more empowering for a woman than being able to go to the gym and work on yourself, gaining a bit of a confidence boost while also looking and feeling better than ever. Having the right athletic clothes is crucial for any gym session is extremely important, especially to keep your lady parts protected without causing any damage.


Depending on the type of exercise that you feel does the most for your body to help you sweat, burn calories, and even build muscle, having the proper sports bra to correspond with it is essential. There are a few different types of sports bra depending on the impact of the workout that you are doing, and wearing a bra with enough support and coverage for it is important to avoid any potential long term damage.


For many women, learning about how to find a sports bra fits properly is the best way to figure out which type will support you during your workout, or fit your size best.

What Types of Sports Bras Are There?

There are a few different options to choose from depending on the type and impact of the exercise you plan on doing!

2 woman in a gym laughing around at a bench press table
The right sports bra to protect your breasts is crucial for any woman of any size during a workout. Image courtesy of GoalFive .

No matter how intense or chill your workout may be for the day, wearing the proper sports bra is essential. Something low impact can allow for more leniency and freedom with your sports bras, while a workout that involves constant jumping, movement, or squatting may require something tighter and more compact.

Low-Impact Sports Bras

The first type of sports bra that is normally used for exercises that don’t require a lot of jumping around or constant movement is a low-impact bra. These bras provide the lightest level of support , so you don’t feel very constricted in them, plus they provide more comfortability depending on your size.


Low-impact sports bras can be worn for everyday wear, but if you’re planning on wearing them to workout in, these are great for exercises such as stretching, all forms of yoga, pilates, and even barre workouts. Many people also prefer to wear them for weight lifting too as it doesn’t require jumping or quick movements.


Depending on your cup size, low-impact workouts require the following types of support:

  • A cup - Low support

  • B cup - Low support

  • C cup - Low/medium support

  • D cup - Medium support

  • E+ cup - High support

Medium-Impact Sports Bras

The next type of sports bra is a medium-impact bra, which is a go-to bra that most women go towards as it provides enough support and comfort, without feeling too constricted. They provide a moderate level of support with some room for movement and bounce during your exercise. The medium-impact sports bra provides a snug fit with slight compression, which makes for a comfortable fit and workout.


Medium-impact sports bras are great for a number of physical activities, even ones that offer a lot of movement. These types of sports bras are great for any workout ranging from weight lifting, jogging, cycling, hiking, golf, martial arts, the elliptical, or stair stepper, ultimately making it a great option for any workout you enjoy doing.


For your cup size, medium-impact exercises need the following types of support :

  • A cup - Low support

  • B cup - Low/medium support

  • C cup - Medium support

  • D cup - High support

  • E+ cup - High support

High-Impact Sports Bras

Another great type of sports bra that is a go-to for the hardworking gym girls who love to burn fat and work up a sweat is the high-impact support bra. These types of bras offer the most support for your breasts and are perfect for workouts with constant movement, jumping, bouncing, and they’re perfect for the runners. These types of sports bras are crucial for women who have bigger busts, but they can benefit women of all sizes with its compression to reduce movement and prevent discomfort during your workout.


High-impact sports bras can be perfect for any workout, despite its intensity or the movement involved. Wearing them can protect the Cooper’s ligaments that attach the breast tissue to your pectorals to prevent any damage during your workout. Damaged Cooper’s ligaments can cause sagging, overall pain, and even discomfort in your breasts over a prolonged time of not wearing the proper sports bra for your size.


There are a ton of high-impact sports and exercises that these types of sports bras are great for. Some of the most popular exercises to wear high-impact sports bras include running, cross-fit training, team sports, jump rope, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or anything that really gets your heart rate up.


More intensive, high-impact sports require the following types of support for your breasts:

  • A cup - Low support

  • B cup - Medium support

  • C cup - Medium/high support

  • D cup - High support

  • E+ cup - High support

How to Wear a Sports Bra Properly and Find Your Size

Finding the proper sports bra is crucial depending on the type of physical activity that works best for you!

a woman posing in a black sports bra and black shorts.
Sports bras are an essential way to protect the Cooper’s ligaments in your breasts to provide the proper support while you workout. Image courtesy of GoalFive .

There are plenty of workouts that one can do from home, at the gym, or outdoors no matter where you live. Having the proper sports bra to wear while you do these workouts is crucial to support your breasts, but how do you find the sports bra that fits you best? Consider the impact of the workout that you are planning on doing first and follow these tips to find what works for your body.

Find a Sports Bra With a Snug Fit on the Rib Cage

No matter what type of impact sports bra you plan on purchasing, it’s important that it isn’t loose on your skin. A sports bra should fit snug around your rib cage so it can properly support your breasts and provide the coverage that you need, but it’s important to make sure the band doesn’t sit on the breast tissue.


The easiest way to know if a sports bra will fit snug on you is the two-finger rule . When trying on the sports bra you want to purchase, put two of your fingers between your body and the band. If you can do this, then the sports bra will provide the best overall fit and be comfortable throughout the duration of your workout.

Adjust the Straps on the Sports Bra

Another important part of any sports bra is to adjust the straps so they are comfortable with minimal stretch. Having too much stretch on your sports bra straps can have too much movement, which can provide discomfort throughout the workout. If they’re too tight, it can cause damage to your shoulders over time and be uncomfortable. It’s important to note that thinner straps provide less support and wider straps can help disperse the weight of your breasts evenly to provide more comfort.


When figuring out how to adjust the straps on your sports bra, it follows the same rules as finding a comfortable band. Using the two-finger rule, you should be able to fit them in between the strap s and your shoulders as this will give you the best results for support, comfort, and a guaranteed great workout.

Cups Should Completely Cover Your Breasts

There are also built-in cups that can be in sports bras no matter the impact that can be removed if you find them to be too constricting or annoying. The cups, whether you remove them or not, play an important role in ensuring that your sports bra fits properly as well.


Your breasts should be centered in the sports bra and you should feel covered and protected. Ways to see if the sports bra doesn’t fit you is by seeing if there are any gaps in between your breasts and the bra, which could mean it is too big for you, if your breasts are spilling out of it, or are not centered—then sizing up is in your best interests. Once you feel like your breasts are covered, it’s important to test the support by moving around a bit to make sure that you aren’t falling out of the bra and that there isn’t too much movement.


The right sports bra shouldn’t be hard to find, especially when your main goal is to stay fit, happy, and healthy. Making sure you know what type of impact bra that you need, plus doing all of the tests to ensure that it fits your body in a supportive and covered manner, are great ways to find out if a sports bra that you should purchase.

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