A Guide To Picking The Perfect Bra For Yoga And Its Importance

Getting a new yoga bra isn’t as simple as getting a daily bra. A lot of women will get fitted for a sports bra and call it a day. However, finding the right yoga bra for you isn’t as simple as that. Considering that Yoga is a low-impact activity, you’ll have to find special types of sports bra that won’t inhibit you from doing your favorite activity. Yoga wear is designed specifically to help you stretch comfortably. So, if your bra is too tight or pressing your breasts to your ribcage too hard, you might end up with breathing problems without you even realizing that the culprit is your bra. To avoid that, here is a full guide on how you can pick the perfect yoga bra.

The Right Size 

Choosing the right bra size is crucial for any bra type. Yoga bras lean on the softer side and this can be a helpful feat for women with A and B cups. However, women with bigger sizes might want more support. To do this, look for bras with supportive shoulder straps, double layer front, and an elastic band that can be both supportive and comfortable. Make sure to try the bra out before purchasing it. Try to move in and see if it restricts stretching or simple movement. If a bra is causing you breast pain, back pain, or shoulder pain, make sure not to wear it again, as it’s probably the wrong size. This can pose risks to your lymphatic vessels if the pressure persists for a long time. It will also affect your posture, which is, of course, an important part of your yoga exercise. 

Bra Strap Type

Straps are also an important factor to consider when you choose a bra. While it may not be the first thing that you think about when choosing a bra for yoga, choosing the right straps should be one of your main priorities when buying a yoga bra. Basically, straps control how much support your bra will give you. As we’ve mentioned before, if you’re an A or B cup size, you can get away with a soft bra that has self-adjusting straps, as these are designed for low-impact activities like yoga and will be as supportive as they are comfortable. Thin fixed straps should also be good for low-impact activities. Women with bigger sizes, however, should go for straps with more support, padded straps, and customizable straps. While these are designed for mid to high impact activities, they can also work for women who have bigger busts. The reason for that is that softer bras will cause your breasts to bounce, which not only will affect your performance but will also cause pain. In the long run, bouncing can also make your breasts sag.

Fabric

When it comes to sports and yoga bras, you should look for the right fabric. Bra designers are now using excellent materials to make practicing your favorite activity a comfortable experience. However, some fabrics, which are not suited for exercising, might still make it your yoga bra collection. So, make sure that you choose technical fabrics that have features like fast-drying, sweat-wicking, anti-odor, or anti-microbial. Minimal stretch fabrics are well suited for sports and yoga bras, especially for women with fuller cup sizes. Bras with 4-way stretch are also excellent for yoga, as this special fabric moves with you, which will be perfect for stretching exercises. Also, make sure to choose bras with bonded seams, as these will prevent chafing and increase comfort. 

Bra Cups

Sports cups are quite different from normal cup sizes. They vary according to the shape of your breasts and the type of support you’re looking for. Some bras will be great for smaller sizes, like single-layered compression cups. While other bras are underwired, encapsulated, and offer more support for the large-busted ladies. Knowing what will work for your unique breast shape will only be possible when you try different sports cups.

• Compression cups are great for A and B cup sizes.
• Molded cups work best for C and D cup sizes and they’re also great for low and mid-impact activities.
• Underwire cups will provide maximum support and they’re best suited for D+ cups.
• Encapsulated cups are also great for D+ sizes

Now that you know what features you want in your yoga bra, you won’t have to worry about picking the wrong type or size in the future. Make sure that it is well-maintained and cleaned to increase its lifespan. While there’s nothing against washing bras in washing machines, many women believe that hand washing is better, as it will maintain the integrity of your bra’s construction and fabric.