How I Learned to Get Over My Fear of Working Out in Sports Bras

For so long, I felt a touch of jealousy when I'd show up to a workout class or head out for a run and see a woman in a cute sports bra. Oftentimes, I'd look down at my own simple black bra that I'd been wearing for nearly every workout for the past three years and feel like I was never going to be "fit enough" to wear just a sports bra at a workout.

Growing up, nearly every woman I spotted with the confidence to rock a sports bra top was very obviously an athlete who was undoubtedly more fit than I could ever be. It took some time and a lot of soul searching, but I finally kicked my fear of sports bras to the curb and now wear whatever I want, when I want. Here's what I learned along the way.

I realized half of the reason I wasn't comfortable working out in a sports bra was that I wasn't physically comfortable in my bra. I assumed because I had a larger cup size, I needed my bra to be as tight as possible so I was locked in. This resulted in me buying two of the tightest fitting bras I could find and wearing them at the same time. This also resulted in me nearly passing out during a run because I couldn't breathe.

Limiting my lung capacity wasn't the solution, so I started to think of sports bras as, well, bras. I looked at cup size, band size, support level, padding, neck cut — all of the usual things I'd think about when lingerie shopping. Bras like the UA HeatGear Armour® High Heathered Support Sports Bra ($55) take all of this into consideration with gel-coated underwires, adjustable straps, and performance pads for the most comfortable and supported workout possible. And nope, no restricted breathing necessary.

UA HeatGear Armour® High Heathered Support Sports Bra

From

$55

$55 at Under Armour

When it comes to bras, it's not one size fits all. So why would one sports bra work for all sports? I assumed that I because the boring black, bib-like bra worked for me once, it must work for me forever across the board. However, once I started investing in different bras for my different activities, I instantly found myself feeling more confident throughout my workouts.

Lower-impact options like the UA RUSH™ Low Sports Bra ($40) give me the ease to move and bend when I'm practicing yoga, while the Armour® Mid Sports Bra ($28) allows for slightly more support during Spin class without being a full-on compression option. Breaking away from thinking I had one option allowed me to see that I could be a whole lot better equipped for my workouts. And yep, I'd feel way more at ease ditching the tank when necessary.

UA RUSH™ Low Sports Bra

From

$40

$40 at Under Armour

Armour® Mid Sports Bra

From

$28

$28 at Under Armour

More so than anything, there was a mental hurdle I had to overcome. Admittedly, I equated wearing a sports bra — a performance piece — to my fitness level. I assumed that wearing a sports bra in public was a signal of a level of athleticism that I'd never achieve. But once I understood the fallacy of thinking my body wasn't good enough and should be covered up while I worked out, I was able to break the connection between my clothing choices and body image.

I was working out to show my body love and take care of it. Why shouldn't I feel comfortable enough to outfit myself however I see fit? One day, while on a particularly hot and humid marathon training run, I knew I was overheating and needed some relief to keep going, so I ditched my tank and ran in my sports bra for several miles. My body felt free to move and enjoy the sport I love so much. And guess what? Not a soul cared. In fact, no one even noticed.

The rules I had once created in my mind about who could and couldn't wear a sports bra applied to me — and only me. Freeing myself from that restriction allowed me to fully embrace my relationship with fitness. I didn't need to be a certain level of fit to exercise proudly in my sports bra if that's what my body called for. Today, whether I work out in a sports bra or in layers of clothes, I'm reminded that working and moving is a bigger statement about my fitness level than anything.

And you better bet I'm going to wear whatever gear I need to help me perform to the best of my ability.