After shoes the most important item of clothing is a bra! Running is a high impact sport so it is absolutely vital that you purchase a bra with good support.

Bras come in two basic designs:

• 1. encapsulated bras separate and support each breast in its own cup these are generally regarded as being better for larger breasted women although it does come down to personal preference.
• 2. Compression bras compress the breasts to the body.

It is crucial that you get the correct fit. Your bra should feel snug but not tight with no seams that are likely to rub or chafe you. The best sports bras are made of technical fabrics such as nylon/lycra mesh.

You wouldn't run in just any old shoes, so don't run in any old bra. A good sports bra is as an essential a piece of kit as a good pair of trainers. The breasts need to be held firmly in position to minimise bouncing around which is uncomfortable, but more importantly, causes stretching of the Coopers ligament which is the only ligament that stops the breast from sagging, once stretched it is irreversible, sagging breasts forever!

It's sad but true that time and gravity cause breasts to sag, they where designed without the benefit of muscles to lift and keep them firm, they only have suspensory ligaments to help them keep their shape and these ligaments stretch and so breasts sag, this is inevitable and irreversible, and you could be speeding up the process by wearing inadequate support whilst exercising, it really is important to support the breasts to reduce bounce., many women are still unaware that unrestricted movement during exercise can permanently stretch the "Coopers Ligaments" causing the breasts to sag, forever! No amount of exercising will prevent this, as there are no muscles in the breast you can specifically train; the breasts are linked to the chest via the ligaments, which help to give shape and form. With age and time these ligaments will stretch and the bust will sag, sorry girls it's true, and unfortunately you could be speeding up the process by not wearing adequate support during exercise, lets face it you would not go horseriding or cycling without proper head protection or running without proper training shoes, a good sports bra is a piece of sports kit designed to help to prevent injury and make you feel comfortable.

To receive regular information on all things to do with women's running, health and fitness please visit:

http://www.running4womengroup.com/

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Having decided a sports bra is a good thing the question is which one? Sports bras are usually designed in one of two formats, the cupless crop top design which holds the bust in position by compression, and is usually made from stretch fabric, and the traditional style of bra with cups that lift and separate giving shape and form. A good fit is essential, firm and supportive but not so tight it restricts breathing, although you can measure your bust to establish your size and cup size, it is worth remembering that sizes are not industry standard and each manufacturers sizes can vary from each other, so it is important to select your bra from a specialist company who will exchange it free of charge if the size is not right.

In recent years sports bras have benefited from the advance in high performance fabrics that wick moisture away from the skin and keep you dryer and cooler, fabrics such as Coolmax® which has a unique fibre construction that helps to keep you cool and dry. X-static® is a pure silver coated antimicrobial yarn that helps to eliminate bacterial build up, also it is antistatic and has excellent wickability and breathability properties. Supplex® is a soft nylon yarn that handles like cotton, this enables quick drying, up to 40% faster than cotton, it is abrasion resistant to minimise pilling and is easy to look after being wash & wear, crease resistant.

So whatever your sport or activity you have no excuse for not wearing a good,comfortable piece of kit, that in the long run may keep you looking and performing better.

If you are unsure about your bra size or would like to check it, it is very easy for either yourself or a friend to measure you - you will just need a tape measure.Firstly you need your under- bust measurement. To do this put the tape measure around your chest just under the bust so it fits snugly.

If the measurement is an even number, ie 28",30" you need to add 4" to this

If the measurement is an odd number ie 29" 31" you need to add 5" to this

E.g If you measure 31" you would add 5" and your under-bust measurement is 36"

Secondly you need your cup-size. To do this you put the tape measure around the fullest part of your cup.

If the measurement is less than your under-bust measurement you are an AA cup size

If the measurement is the same as your under-bust measurement you are an A cup size

If the measurement is 1" more you are a B Cup size

If the measurement is 2" more you are a C Cup size

If the measurement is 3" more you are a D Cup size

If the measurement is 4" more you are a DD Cup size

If the measurement is 5" more you are a E Cup size

If the measurement is 6" more you are a F Cup size

If the measurement is 7" more you are a FF Cup size

If the measurement is 8" more you are a G Cup size

* Remember that your under-bust measurement is always plus 4 or 5 inches*