So, where has that three weeks gone? Can you believe we are already up to the final part of my three part ‘Sports Bra Fitting Essentials’ series? Last week we looked at Sports Bra Fitting Essentials – Part 2: The Band. That’s now straps, and band done and dusted. Leaving only the cups to examine to finish our trilogy. Thus ensuring you have the perfect fitting sports bra.
This final pillar is just as important as the other two. And as we know, successfully accomplish all three pillars and you have reached sports bra fitting nirvana!
Read on to discover how to get perfect fitting sports bra cups.
Before we dive straight into how to perfectly fit your cup it is important to understand the three sports bra cup types. Each type will fit you slightly differently and feel different when on.
The three types of sports bra cups are.
As the name suggests, these cups ‘compress’ your breasts against your chest. Holding them against your body to limit movement.
These sports bras do not have individual cups to separate and hold your breasts but rather simply ‘squash’ (not the nicest word!) the girls. This can lead to the dreaded mono-boob. Especially for those of us with a bit more up top.
Most compression style sports bras do not offer a high level of support. They are nearly always wirefree. And they are often only suitable for A-D cups. With some brands making specific DD-E cup styles.
These sports bra cups are designed to ‘encapsulate’ or enclose each breast individually. Much like your everyday bra.
Given that each breast is enclosed individually they give a much more natural shape to the breasts as compared to compression styles. This natural look is preferred by many women for its aesthetics. No more mono-boob!
As each breast is held individually, the support offered by encapsulation bras can be much greater. They come in both underwired and wirefree designs. And many styles support a much greater cup range – A to K cups.
This style is simple to understand. It is a combination of the two other styles and offers the benefits of both. Each breast is ‘encapsulated’ separately with the added support benefit of also ‘compressing’ your breasts against your body.
This combination of ‘compression’ and ‘encapsulation’ often gives you the highest support combination. Very often you will find the highest support bras have this cup type.
Once again, they come in wirefree and underwired designs. And accommodate a wide range of cup sizes.
The simple answer is your cups should be perfectly full. Every part of your cups should contain your breasts fully.
There should not be any ‘empty’ spots. Or any areas of bagginess or loose material. This indicates your cup is too big.
Furthermore, your cups should not ‘overflow’. All you breast tissue should be contained, not spilling out the top, bottom or side. If it does your cups may be too small.
Unlike your shoulder straps and band, you cannot physically tighten or loosen your cups. Tightening your shoulder straps will pull your cups up. But you shouldn’t do this just to adjust your cups as it may cause fitting problems elsewhere.
The best you can do is to position your breasts correctly inside your cups. How you ask? Simple, after you have put your sports bra on lean forward. Then using your right-hand, place it inside the left cup, towards the side and back. Next gently adjust your breast tissue forward and up. This should get all your breast tissue inside the cup and ensure the best possible fit. Do the opposite breast and repeat if necessary.
Let us look at the common signs and solutions to a poor fitting cup.
So, there you have it. Everything you need to know about correctly fitting your sport bra cups. The final pillar is now in place ensuring you have the perfect fitting sports bra.
Phew, that was a lot to get through but well worth it. Many a workout has been cut short or ruined because of a poor fitting sports bra. Take the time to get the correct fit and your breasts will thank you.
Yours in Support.
Amy x
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