Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Running With Support

The bronchitis is finally gone completely, and I'm able to start a moderate cold-season running routine again. The half-marathon next June suddenly seems actually feasable.

That is why I was very excited to be contacted by Shock Absorber, one of UK's leading brands of sports bras to review one of their bras. While I'm waiting for my exclusive sample to arrive, I'd like to share sme facts on the matter for my runner friends and all other active ladies out there.

Do you work out wearing a sports bra? Well, obviously, I'm not (yet!), and I'm in good company. A survey Shock Absorber had conducted with 1,000 active women all  across the UK (survey by One Poll, September 2013) showed that 35% of women have never worn a sports bra, even though a woman's breast is not supported by muscles but only held by skin and ligaments. And we all know that once skin and ligaments are stretched, there's no going back.

Can you believe that unsupported breasts can bounce up to 14 cm during excercise, and even A-cup breasts can move up to 4cm away from its resting point (University of Portsmouth 2005, Scurr et al).  If you want to see how that looks in action, visit the Bounce-O-Meter at the Shock Absorber website:



So while excercising without proper support is not only good for our girls but also uncomfortable or even painful, why do women not wear sports bras more frequently? Well, there is a misconception that only women with larger breasts need them. Or that they only do low-impact excercise and therefore don't really need one. Well, think again: even during yoga, which is generally fairly low-impact, we move our bodies all over the place, and definitely need proper support.


After going through all the information given on the webpage, I am even more excited to receive my bra. Please go to Shock Absorber's webpage to see for yourself that their bras are not only functional and supportive but also very pretty!




14 comments:

  1. I'm part of the ittybitty committee, so a lot of support isn't needed but those are pretty :)

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    1. I'm not all too well bestowed either, but after nursing two kids for a total of 3 years, I need the support to avoid any more damage ;-)

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  2. I never work out, so I don't think I'll need one of those ;-) Have a lovely Tuesday.

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    1. Thanks so much, Vanessa! I hope you have a great week as well!

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  3. So glad your bronchitis is gone!

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  4. This is awesome that you are getting to try it out. I have two sports bras (they are only from Target), but still truly the best purchase possible to use when I am working out.

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    1. I'm so excited as well! I've never had a sports bra, just being lazy I guess, but now I can't wait to try and see the difference!

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  5. All you need is a good bra and a decent pair of shoes, see?

    I'm glad you're better. It's been a long slog.

    BUT - here's something you'll find cheering or horrifying - I've given you an award - http://summat2thinkon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/donnerstag-im-deutschen-thanks-mike.html

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    1. Thanks so much, Lizzi!! I totally agree that the right shoes make such a difference. And most likely, the bra will, too!

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  6. Glad you are feeling better. Those look like very decent sports bras - thanks for the tip!

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    1. You're welcome, Lisa! I'm so excited and can't wait until it arrives.

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  7. Yay for feeling better! This bra looks amazing. As someone who is endowed in this area I can say that one of the reasons I don't run is that I feel like it hurts my chest when I do. Ok that's not entirely true. Just the thought of running tires me out ;) but I do like workout classes! Ill have to check this out!

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    1. It was really fun playing with the "bounce-o-meter" (love the word!!). You can enter your size and work-out intensity and see what a difference the sports bra makes compared to a regular or no bra. Can't wait to get the bra and see in real life!

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