That thudding up and down when exercising can not only be painful but very annoying! Whether you are running or jumping or however you exercise, if you have large boobs it can put you off! Here at Belle Lingerie, we totally understand the pain and annoyance of exercising with big boobs but don’t let it stop you or get you down. You don’t need to end up with black eyes after exercising we promise. Exercising with big boobs can be done and here are a few tips to get you going.
- How to help with the back pain
- How to stop boobs chafing
- How to reduce bounce when exercising
1. How to help with the back pain?
The weight alone of your big boobs can be a strain enough but when you start exercising and they are going like the clappers, up and down and up and down, your back is going to feel the burden. Apparently, a DD cup breast can weigh around 1kg, so imagine trying to run and exercise while carrying a bag of sugar!
Firstly, take a look at what’s holding all that weight up – your sports bra straps. If the straps of your sports bra are thin, they are likely to be digging in and causing damage and pain to your shoulders and overall affecting your back. Not only are thin straps on a sports bra for big boobs painful but it can be dangerous with some nerves running down your neck and along your arm, you don’t want to damage them. When buying your sports bra make sure you go for wider straps and even better, padded straps like the Panache Underwired Ultimate Sports Bra. Once you’ve got your sports bra from Belle Lingerie, when you are trying it on, make sure even at the tightest setting you should be able to fit 2 fingers under without cutting the circulation to them. Support is key so don’t make your straps are well fitted and on the tighter end but try not to make them too tight!
Improving your core and back strength is a must-do to help with your back especially as a big-boobed woman. By conditioning your body, you will be able to prevent, to an extent, your back pain. A lot of floor exercises will help, like a plank, or leg raises and abdominal twists. The key is to work your back and your abs. The rowing machine will also help to strengthen your back with the pulling and rowing motions.
2. How to stop boobs chafing?
Chafing might even be considered worse than the bouncing in our eyes, but what do you think? Chafing comes about from both your boobs rubbing together or your bra rubbing sensitive areas. It can cause discomfort and put you off exercising all together so best to try and prevent it, to begin with.
Sweat can further the irritation, so, first thing’s first, make sure your bra is crafted from a breathable material. The breathable material will let air in and not let your sweat just sit in your sports bra, a good example of that is the Freya Epic Underwired Sports bra which has mesh panels and is created from a Coolmax® fabric.
The main point, of course, to help chafing is fit! Getting the right fitted sports bra is the most effective way to prevent chaffing. Here at Belle Lingerie, we have over 300 sports bras in stock, of all different colours, styles and fits, so you will find something that will suit your body shape. At the end of the day, you need to be comfortable so take your time to find the right fit of a sports bra.
The underwire is often the cause of chafing but it is sometimes needed for bigger boobs and we get that. And anyway, the underwire will also help prevent your boobs from rubbing together and stop them chaffing together. Just make sure when you have an underwire in your sports bra there is padding around it and also it should sit on your ribs and doesn’t dig into your breasts or the tissue under your armpits.
If chaffing is still an issue after all that, there are anti-chafing creams and also first-aid tape that you could cover your sensitive areas with.
3. How to reduce bounce when exercising?
The bounce is something all women with big boobs dread and unfortunately to say it only gets worse over time and age. The amount of bounce you experience while exercising is dependent on your breast size and elasticity of your skin. And as your skin does tend to lose elasticity with age, you will find your breasts bouncing higher and higher when you move. Now, the bouncing can’t be completely eradicated however it can be helped massively. The aim is for you boobs to be moving at the same rate as your torso and not going in the opposite direction.
A lot of sports bras come labelled high impact or low impact, for bigger busts we recommend sticking to the high impact sports bra even if you are doing light exercise. A high impact sports bra is more likely to keep you in one place like the Shock Absorber High Impact Run Sports Bra.
Like for chafing, the fit is so important to reduce bounce when exercising. Fitting the right fitted sports bra is key for big-boobed women who love to exercise. The cups of the bras should give you coverage, remember this is not going to be the prettiest bra you own. Full coverage will give you support and will limit movement. Moulded cups are even better to keep you in one place, like the Panache Underwired Sports Bra.
Finally, the underband of the sports bra, it is there to keep you in one place and give lots of support. The band should be wide and elasticated so it can support your bust without riding up or digging in. When you first get your sports bra, it should feel comfortable but tight in the loosest hook. Having it on the loosest hook at first means as the bra ages over time and becomes looser you can tighten it in.