Winter is just around the corner and you know what that means. Running festivals, basketball, netball, football, etc. I love winter. Cool weather combined with winter sports equals fun.

Fun for me but not so much fun for my girls. All these sports create a lot of breast bounce and it is hard to shoot a basket with your breasts whacking you in the chin. Or to kick a penalty with your girls bouncing around all over the place.

To truly enjoy your sport and to perform at your best you need to keep your breasts under control. And for this you will need the support of a high impact sports bra. A lot of breast bounce needs a lot of bounce control. And a good high impact sports bra will help minimise the bounce.

So, what are the things you need to know in your quest for the perfect high impact sports bra. Read on as I take you though everything you need to know.

Size Comes First.

Before we start any sports bra shopping journey, we need to know our sports bra size. And to find your size all you need is a measuring tape and a mirror.

Whilst wearing a good fitting bra measure horizontally around your chest directly under your boobs. This is your under-band measurement. Next measure horizontally around the fullest part of your breasts (usually over your nipples). This is your over-bust measurement.

Simply plug these measurements into an online bra size calculator and you have your sports bra size. A quick search engine search will bring up plenty of options. Try a few to see if the sizes match.

Once you know your size move on.

Then Support.

The whole point of this exercise is to support your girls. To give them high impact support. How supportive a sports bra is, is measured in impact. The higher the impact the more supportive the sports bra.

Impact levels range from low to high. Low for minimal support, through to medium, up to high for maximum support. We are after maximum support so make sure you select a high impact sports bra.

Some companies use bounce control in addition to impact level. You may see a sports bra advertised as high impact with 82% bounce control as tested. This is how much breast bounce was reduced by the sports bra. The higher the number the better the bounce control.

Take this with a pinch of salt as there are so many variables and they do not test them to an equal standard. A sports bra may reduce breast bounce of a B cup by 82% but will it do the same for a G cup? Maybe not.

Stick to high impact as a minimum.

Comfort is Next.

It doesn’t matter how high impact your sports bra is if it is not comfortable. Some say comfort is queen and when going for a long run I would have to agree. 

Support and comfort go hand in hand as the first step in finding a comfortable sports bra is breast control. No bounce = no breast pain = breast comfort!

The second step is avoiding chafing, pulling, rubbing, etc. Look for a lightweight, soft design made from moisture wicking fabrics.

Many brands use technical fabrics designed specially to keep you cool and dry. This will help greatly in reducing rub as things heat up.

Features come Last.

If you have gotten this far you have done well and are almost done. This is the less critical section of your search, sports bra features.

This is where you can spoil yourself with your personal sports bra must haves. Do you prefer underwired or wire-free? Are you a racerback fan? Do you just love padded?

When you go shopping this is your chance to add some personal preference features to your sports bra. Just remember that these features do not replace the important stuff like size, impact and comfort.

They are a bonus in searching for your perfect sports bra. There are plenty of options out there so try and tick off as many personal features as you can but not at the cost of your core needs.

Don’t be afraid to compromise or try something different. You may be a lifelong underwired fan but be willing to try wire-free. Many modern wire-free designs offer better support and comfort than their wire-free counterparts.

Perhaps you love Racerback styles. Don’t be afraid to compromise to a convertible back style if it means higher impact support.

Do Not Forget Fit.

Once you have gone through the above list and have selected a high impact sports bra, try it on. Jump around. How does it fit?

Check the band. Is it firm around your chest? You should be able to comfortably fit two fingers under the band.

Check the cups. Are they full but not overflowing? There should be no gaps in the cups, and your breast tissue should not pop out anywhere. You want all of your breast tissue to be comfortably contained.

Check the straps. Not too loose, not to tight but just right. Do the two-finger test again. Do they comfortably fit between the straps and your shoulder?

Yes, to all the above and you have a good fitting sports bra. Woo hoo!

In Conclusion.

Finding your perfect high impact sports bra has never been easier. There are so many brands and styles available for you to choose from. There is almost so much choice that it is hard to know where to start.

This is where online shopping is your best friend. Many bricks and mortar stores offer a limited selection of sizes and styles and are often difficult to get to at a time that suits you.

Dedicated online stores like sportsbrasdirect.com.au offer a fantastic range of brands, styles and sizes. And the best bit, the in-built search functionality makes finding the best sports bra for you a breeze.

In this case simply go to the High Impact Sports Bras page. Then filter by size, colour and features and bingo. All the relevant sports bras are listed.

How easy is that. As I said finding the perfect high impact sports bra for you has never been easier!

Yours in support 

Amy x