Running for well endowed women

[luvmyguys]

I'm not planning on competing in marathons any time soon, but my 11 year old has started running for basketball conditioning, and I thought I'd try to go with him. My problem is my chest. Without the proper bra, running is downright painful. I have a good, supportive sports bra (http://www.amazon.com/Lunaire-Maximum-Control-COOLMAX-Underwire/dp/B000J9XJ32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382040150&sr=8-1&keywords=underwire+sports+bra), but it's not enough. So my first question is this - how do I keep the girls largely immobile? Does anyone use two for extra support? (Wrap 'em up in Saran Wrap or something? :p).

I'd be looking at 5K range at most. He's only running a mile right now. Is this even do-able? Is there anything technique related that might help me (kinda doubting it, as you can't do much about gravity)?

Thanks!

[zoom-zoom]

What size are you looking at? Enells are great for larger sizes. A lot of women really like Moving Comfort bras, but I've tried at least 4 styles and not found any of them to be as supportive for my 34Ds as a Champion underwire bra I like.

[ny biker]

TE sells Enell bras. You can filter their sports bras for "maximum support," and call them if you have any questions.

[OakLeaf]

Running Times just did their "best of the season" for three cup size ranges too. I could've sworn I bought that issue, but if I did, where it's got to I have no idea. ...

Here it is on their website. http://www.runnersworld.com/running-apparel/best-sports-bras-for-runners?page=3

[Becky]

My running got a lot more comfortable when I started wearing a small enough band and sized up accordingly in the cups. For me, much of my pain and excess motion was simply being in the wrong size bra. Just some food for thought...

My favorite sports bra is the Panache 5021 sports bra. One of a few that comes in my size, and I never feel like I need to double up.

[OakLeaf]

And since you asked about technique ... mine are small but very floppy so I'm not totally ignorant of this stuff ... anything that minimizes impact and whole body vertical displacement will minimize bounce. Chi Running literally changed my life. Before Chi Running, running pounded my *shoulders* so hard I could barely go over three miles on pavement. Shoulder pounding and b00b pounding are not too far different. Lots of free stuff on their website.

[Kathi]

My running got a lot more comfortable when I started wearing a small enough band and sized up accordingly in the cups. For me, much of my pain and excess motion was simply being in the wrong size bra. Just some food for thought...

My favorite sports bra is the Panache 5021 sports bra. One of a few that comes in my size, and I never feel like I need to double up.

My thoughts exactly. You shouldn't have bounce with a correctly fitting bra. For information on sports bras, fit, and determining your size check out this link, http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/wiki/sports_bras

Not on the list but my favorite is Lynx Sports bras. Band sizes go down to 25-26". No bounce for my 28G's. Many women on the Subreddit "A Bra That Fits" love the Panache Sports bra.

[luvmyguys]

My running got a lot more comfortable when I started wearing a small enough band and sized up accordingly in the cups. For me, much of my pain and excess motion was simply being in the wrong size bra. Just some food for thought...

My favorite sports bra is the Panache 5021 sports bra. One of a few that comes in my size, and I never feel like I need to double up.

I have considered that with my regular bras - even the ones that I get in a specialty shop. My encapsulated sports bra is pretty tight, though. It's great support as long as I'm not doing anything bouncy, and it even worked when I was in karate.

I should also add that my favorite sports bra has minimal movement - probably sufficient for many. My problem is that I had neck surgery a 18 months ago, and while my neck is so much stronger now, it's the gravity effect that has me nervous about any movement whatsoever. So the bounce isn't incredibly bad; it's pretty minimal. I'd just like less.

I did "double bra" on Thursday, and that did work pretty well.

[luvmyguys]

And since you asked about technique ... mine are small but very floppy so I'm not totally ignorant of this stuff ... anything that minimizes impact and whole body vertical displacement will minimize bounce. Chi Running literally changed my life. Before Chi Running, running pounded my *shoulders* so hard I could barely go over three miles on pavement. Shoulder pounding and b00b pounding are not too far different. Lots of free stuff on their website.

Tell me more please?!? :)

[OakLeaf]

In a few words, the fundamentals are good posture - keeping your whole spine and pelvis in alignment and leveling the pelvis after every step - leaning from the ankles to let gravity help you move forward - landing with your foot slightly behind your center of gravity, never in front, preferably with a midfoot strike - rotating your pelvis to lengthen your stride behind you while keeping your upper body facing forward - and keeping your cadence at least 85 rpm. It's a lot of practice and body awareness, and there are a lot of details.

They want to sell books, DVDs and workshops, naturally, so there's not a single place you can go on chirunning.com (http://chirunning.com)to get it all, but you can get the idea by poking around the website. The book has great information (although my personal learning style is that it's really hard for me to learn physical skills from a book, so I've done two workshops, which are terrific if it's in your budget).

[Kathi]

I have considered that with my regular bras - even the ones that I get in a specialty shop. My encapsulated sports bra is pretty tight, though. It's great support as long as I'm not doing anything bouncy, and it even worked when I was in karate.

I should also add that my favorite sports bra has minimal movement - probably sufficient for many. My problem is that I had neck surgery a 18 months ago, and while my neck is so much stronger now, it's the gravity effect that has me nervous about any movement whatsoever. So the bounce isn't incredibly bad; it's pretty minimal. I'd just like less.

I did "double bra" on Thursday, and that did work pretty well.

To test the fit put you bra on backwards. How does the band fit? If it now feels loose the band is too big. If it's just right but feels tighter when you're wearing the bra it could be your cups are too small. Too small of a cup will make the band feel tight. If the bra fits but doesn't give you the support you want it may be designed for light to moderate activity not activities like running.

[Kathi]

Running Times just did their "best of the season" for three cup size ranges too. I could've sworn I bought that issue, but if I did, where it's got to I have no idea. ...

Here it is on their website. http://www.runnersworld.com/running-apparel/best-sports-bras-for-runners?page=3

This is off topic but I find it amazing that these bras listed are too big in the band for women who are sub 30 bands. For example, a 32" band is 6" larger than my underbust measurement. Most of these bras will fit my hips, not my chest. American bra manufacturers, and stores, offer limited size ranges. Yet, it's common knowledge that 80% of American women are wearing the wrong size.

[zoom-zoom]

This is off topic but I find it amazing that these bras listed are too big in the band for women who are sub 30 bands. For example, a 32" band is 6" larger than my underbust measurement. Most of these bras will fit my hips, not my chest. American bra manufacturers, and stores, offer limited size ranges. Yet, it's common knowledge that 80% of American women are wearing the wrong size.

I struggle to find bras small enough when I'm at my ideal weight. At my current weight--15-20#s over ideal--I fit a 34D. If I lose much I will be in a 32D. I could potentially see 30D. That is damned near impossible to find (which is stupid, IMO -- it's no more likely that a woman would be a 38D than it is that she'd be a 28D...it's all proportionate). I love my current bra, but I think 34 is the smallest band size it comes in.

[luvmyguys]

To test the fit put you bra on backwards. How does the band fit? If it now feels loose the band is too big. If it's just right but feels tighter when you're wearing the bra it could be your cups are too small. Too small of a cup will make the band feel tight. If the bra fits but doesn't give you the support you want it may be designed for light to moderate activity not activities like running.

It's tight when it's on backwards, and similarly tight when on properly. :) Not uncomfortably so, but it's bunching skin in the process. The bra is listed as full support and "no bounce" - and it's not bad. Like I said, I'm just a little skittish about causing gravity-induced neck problems. The last time I ran was pre-surgery (and I was still doing all the things that contributed to the neck being all out of whack in the first place).

When I was trying out running shoes, I did a little trial with my non-sports bra, and it didn't hurt. So my one bra may be enough. I honestly haven't tried yet - just too nervous to do so.

[luvmyguys]

I struggle to find bras small enough when I'm at my ideal weight. At my current weight--15-20#s over ideal--I fit a 34D. If I lose much I will be in a 32D. I could potentially see 30D. That is damned near impossible to find (which is stupid, IMO -- it's no more likely that a woman would be a 38D than it is that she'd be a 28D...it's all proportionate). I love my current bra, but I think 34 is the smallest band size it comes in.

As I'm looking for good every day bras in a smaller band size, I'm finding something similar. My usual size is 34E (or DDD, depending on the convention used), but I can only find one bra that gives me the support I want - most of the others feel like they're falling on me. When I go down to a 32, finding the sister cup size gets really tough.

[Kathi]

I struggle to find bras small enough when I'm at my ideal weight. At my current weight--15-20#s over ideal--I fit a 34D. If I lose much I will be in a 32D. I could potentially see 30D. That is damned near impossible to find (which is stupid, IMO -- it's no more likely that a woman would be a 38D than it is that she'd be a 28D...it's all proportionate). I love my current bra, but I think 34 is the smallest band size it comes in.

Cup and band size is relative. If you go down a band size you normally increase a cup size to maintain the same volume. For example, 34D-32E-30F-28FF-26G. If you go up band sizes you decrease the cup size. I measure 25" underbust. My nearest band size without adding inches is 26. With my bust measurement I'm a 26GG. 26 bands are non existent except for special order so I have to go to a 28 band. Going up band size I'm 28G, 30FF, 32F 34E, etc. I used UK sizing (American bra sizing is so screwed up). It took me a long time to understand this.

Band sizing also has to do with the amount of "squish" you have. I have no squish, there is a 1/2" difference between my break the tape measurement and my snug measurement. Yesterday I sat next to a woman at the theatre who probably "thought" she was a 38-40 band. She had lots of squish and her band was riding up between her shoulder blades. Classic sign of a too large band. On the subreddit /A Bra That Fits there isn't a day that goes buy where some poster is saying "OMG I just measured myself and I came up with a 26, 28, 30 band. Is this possible?"

I don't know how weight loss affects this, I'm guessing it depends on where you lose the weight from.

I'm finding my bras on Amazon.com. Other online companies carry the odd sizes too.

[zoom-zoom]

Cup and band size is relative. If you go down a band size you normally increase a cup size to maintain the same volume. For example, 34D-32E-30F-28FF-26G. If you go up band sizes you decrease the cup size.

I don't know how weight loss affects this, I'm guessing it depends on where you lose the weight from.

Right. I tend to lose pretty evenly...pre-breast reduction I went from a 38DDD to a 34DDD when I lost ~40#s. Even after reduction I still lose evenly. But it's a lot easier to find a 36D than it is a 32D or 30D -- at least in the US. I know in the UK there's a lot more selection for small bands and relatively large cup sizes...but at a cost. Some women are unfortunate that they lose around, but not in the cups.

[Kathi]

Right. I tend to lose pretty evenly...pre-breast reduction I went from a 38DDD to a 34DDD when I lost ~40#s. Even after reduction I still lose evenly. But it's a lot easier to find a 36D than it is a 32D or 30D -- at least in the US. I know in the UK there's a lot more selection for small bands and relatively large cup sizes...but at a cost. Some women are unfortunate that they lose around, but not in the cups.

I know buying bras online is a PITA but Amazon.com has free shipping and free returns on many bras and good prices. I haven't looked at other brands but I wear 28G Panache Cleo bras and got the Autumn/Winter models at 35-40% off. Be sure the seller is Amazon.com. Other online stores sell on Amazon too and their prices aren't so good. I've also bought older models from EBAY-UK but shipping drives the cost up to comparable to Amazon. I know how the Panache Cleo bras fit my shape which is why I'm more confident in ordering online. Besides, stores don't stock my size.

You also have to watch pricing. I don't understand how they do it but a bra that I bought a week ago was 38% off, today that bra, same size is 18% off? Another bra I bought was 50% off and a couple of days later back up to original price.

[zoom-zoom]

Yup, I've bought on Amazon for a while...but pricing is goofy. I've had best luck with Lunaire/Whimsy bras. Cute, come in small bands and larger cups, don't give me quadra boobs, and they are generally a lot cheaper than everything comparable.

[Kathi]

Yup, I've bought on Amazon for a while...but pricing is goofy. I've had best luck with Lunaire/Whimsy bras. Cute, come in small bands and larger cups, don't give me quadra boobs, and they are generally a lot cheaper than everything comparable.

Pretty bras but shame on the company for displaying such poor fit on their models. The bras are clearly too small. Center gores don't tack, under wires rest on tissue, some side photos show tissue spilling out of the cups. Yikes, I guess it's hard to disquise these things with photoshop.

[zoom-zoom]

Pretty bras but shame on the company for displaying such poor fit on their models. The bras are clearly too small. Center gores don't tack, under wires rest on tissue, some side photos show tissue spilling out of the cups. Yikes, I guess it's hard to disquise these things with photoshop.

Yeah. Fortunately their bras do run really true to size and fit very full cups. Dumb that they don't put the appropriate size bras on the available models. That doesn't take rocket science!

[soprano]

As I'm looking for good every day bras in a smaller band size, I'm finding something similar. My usual size is 34E (or DDD, depending on the convention used), but I can only find one bra that gives me the support I want - most of the others feel like they're falling on me. When I go down to a 32, finding the sister cup size gets really tough.

The Moving Comfort Fiona (http://www.movingcomfort.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-MovingComfort-Site/default/Product-Show?pid=350003) is available in a wide side range and quite popular with runners. I wear a 30F in lingerie bras and the Fiona in 32D is my go-to running bra.

If you have a women's-only sporting goods store near you, such as the Title 9 chain, or a good all-around lingerie shop that carries sports bras, go ask for a fitting.

[Trek420]

I've had good service from these gals. There's a LBS (local bra shop) near me. But you can buy online. They rate the bras by "barbells". More barbells less bounce for the gals

http://www.titlenine.com/category/sports-bras-and-undies/high-impact-sports-bras.do?nType=2