Okay, so today I wanna talk about finding actual decent sports bras when you’re plus size and trying to run. Look, I’ve been running for a while now, and lemme tell ya – nothing kills a workout faster than a bra that either doesn’t hold anything or feels like a straitjacket. Last month, after dealing with weird chafing and constantly adjusting my old bras mid-run, I finally went “enough is enough” and started testing proper plus-size running bras.
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The Starting Struggle
First up, I dragged all my current sports bras outta the drawer and took a hard look. Most were stretched out, saggy, or just plain uncomfortable after a few miles. I hit up some big-box stores first, thinking it’d be easy. Wrong. Everything in the plus section either looked like grandma underwear or had zero real support. Tried jogging in place in the fitting room – felt like I was gonna knock myself out. Total waste of time.
Online Deep Dive
So I switched to online digging. Spent literal hours scrolling through reviews and size charts. Ordered like eight different brands – some fancy expensive ones, some cheaper. Made sure to get a mix of encapsulation bras and compression styles. When they arrived, I did the “bounce test” in my living room (jumping jacks like a maniac) before even thinking about running outside.
Here’s what went down:
- Brand A: Felt like being hugged by an overenthusiastic bear. Couldn’t breathe right during warmup.
- Brand B: Band rolled up instantly when I started moving. Got muffin top AND back fat – no thanks.
- Brand C: Straps dug into my shoulders so bad I had red marks after ten minutes.
The Real Test Runs
For the ones that passed the living room test, I took ’em outside for real runs. Did my regular 3-mile route with each one. Made notes immediately after:
- How much bounce happened going downhill
- Whether the underband stayed put or rode up
- If sweat made the fabric chafe
- How easy it was to peel off when soaked
Spoiler: Some bras felt okay at first but became literal torture devices by mile two. One had seams right where my backpack strap sits – turned into fire ant bites real quick.
What Actually Worked
After weeks of testing (and returning a mountain of rejects), two stood out big time. Surprise Winner #1 had thick, non-rolling bands and wide cushioned straps. Didn’t move an inch during sprints. Surprise Winner #2 felt like wearing clouds somehow gave lift? Magic. Both passed the “jump test,” didn’t choke me, and stayed put when drenched.
Biggest shocker? Neither was the most expensive. Both handled bounce without crushing my ribs. Took ’em through washes too – held up way better than my old ones that turned into belly shirts after three washes.