Recreational running may not be every woman’s cup of tea, but it’s a nice activity that gets you going. When done regularly, it can help with burning calories, maintaining a healthy weight, improving cardiovascular health and fitness, preventing heart attacks and strokes, and strengthening muscles as well as bones. 

It’s also good for mental health, as it allows you to think freely and openly as you hit the pavement or trails, so if you need to get rid of thoughts that clutter your mind you know what to do. And, the beauty of it is you don’t have to run at a fast pace to be able to reap these benefits. 

To count on a positive experience, you need the right equipment, obviously. However,  I’d like you to look beyond running shoes and clothes as there’s another item that needs your attention – your bra. Imagine how uncomfortable you’d feel running in jeans; now imagine how uncomfortable you’d also feel running in your regular bras. That’s why you ought to find quality bra for running to make the most of this activity. 

What Kind of Bra is Best for Running?

A bra specialised for running, that’s designed to minimise breast movement and sagging. This is a bra that’s able to protect and support the breasts, to offer utmost comfort and stability, to prevent discomfort, pain especially during long runs, and chafing by being made up of soft fabrics that reduce irritation. It’s also useful for keeping you cool and dry by managing sweat. 

How Do I Choose a Running Bra?

It all comes down to your needs, and what you consider to be a good bra for running. To start, be sure to look into the: 

Type

Depending on your specific bust size, your comfort requirements, as well as the level of activity you’d be doing, you’ve got these basic types to choose from: 

• Compression – For the ladies with smaller busts, wearing A to B cups, this is a type you can rely on. Usually, these bras are in a pullover design without individual cups, and as such they’re lightweight and easy to wear, offering utmost support and comfort. 
• Encapsulation – For the ladies with larger busts, wearing C to DD and upwards, this is a type that can offer the needed support and lift. 
• Combination – If you want the best of both compression and encapsulation worlds, you have the versatile combination type. With the individual support through encapsulation plus additional compression, it’s a type fit for all bust sizes.

Support

Since it’s sports bras we’re talking about, related to running, you need the right support to reduce both horizontal and vertical bust movement. This is why it’s important to find a high-impact design, as low-impact ones are better for low-impact activities like walking and yoga – unless you’ve mastered how to run softly. 

Size

You probably know already how painful wearing the wrong bra size can be, leading to poor support, along with discomfort, pain, and chafing. For the adequate choice, it’s advisable to do your own measurements even if you already have a size you wear and buy mostly after your nursing days. This would ensure you get the perfect fit. 

Focus on the band size, wrapping the measuring tape below your bust at the ribcage to find the exact number. Then focus on measuring the cup size, adding the measuring tape around the fullest part of your bust, then subtracting that number from the band one to get your cup size. Lastly, check with the store’s size guides to verify and buy accordingly. 

Fabric

As this is running you’re buying for, you need a women’s sport bra that’s made from a quick-drying and moisture-wicking fabric. While you may be up for cotton as a natural choice, it’s not that good at these aspects, and you’d be better off with polyester, spandex, and nylon products. These wick away the moisture and provide good airflow, especially those designs that come with mesh elements too because they’re added for proper ventilation.

Adjustability

Sometimes, getting the right bra depends on the adjustability too, so it’s not just about the size. Look for features like adjustable straps, that are also wide and padded for even weight distribution (important for large busts).

Design

This is where you ought to consider the aesthetic and style as much as the closure type and seams. Depending on the time of year you’d be running, and the colour of preference, you can choose from a range of sports bras for women differing in cut, colour, and print. 

In terms of closure, there are seamless pullover bras that reduce chafing, and hook-and-eye bras that are better for women with larger busts since they make for better adjustment and are easy to put on or remove. As far as the seams go, a design with flatlock seams or a seamless one is better if you want to avoid the discomfort of chafing.