The Yoga Bra

Illustrated By Jacqueline Davis Moranti

When it comes to working out, I make sure that my fitness outfits are just as fashionable as my regular outfits. You never know who you'll bump into while you're at the gym or the studio! When shopping for my athletic clothing I usually stock up on tights and bras, but with my haste in just buying what's matching this or that I don't really take into account the type of support I might need for my workouts from my bras. Have you ever gone on a long run, while wearing a sport bra meant for yoga? Or kickboxing in an unpadded bra? It's not fun or comfortable working out that way, that's why I made it my mission to learn the difference between the variety of bras out there other than how cute it would look with my outfits. 

When it comes to sports bras there are three different kinds of support to look for, low support, medium support, and high support bras. It';s important it know the difference between all types of sports bras so that one can achieve the best performance no matter what sport. 

Low Support (see bottom row)

The low supporting bras are great for walking yoga and strength training. These types of bras will have little to no compression and can sometimes be unpadded. The low supporting bras are also more often encapsulated which means that they use individual cups to surround the breasts separately. More comfortable for everyday use and a much more natural shape than a compression bra. 

Medium Support (see middle row)

The medium supporting bras are great for cycling, boxing, and moderate hiking. This bra would be a bit more constrictive than the low supporting bras and often have options for how adjustable you'd like the fit. 

High Support (see top row)

The high supporting bras are great for running, aerobics, mountain biking and anything that requires high endurance. These bras are typically high in compression to compress the breasts to the wall to restrict movement. This style also tends to be strictly pull over style, my favorite kind of bra when i'm at my muy thai class or running long distances!  

Next time you're thinking about the most important piece of clothing for your workouts, rest assured that the answer is your sports bra. The right makes all the difference, less bouncing, less sagging, less sore breasts and thus, more effective workouts. No more wearing yoga bras to go jogging for me! Dear readers, how do you choose your sports bras?