A good friend of mine was talking about trying to lose weight, and I suggested we go for a run together. She shook her head and pointed to her chest. "Not with these girls," she said. I realized that many women swear off running and working out because they're well-endowed. Being full on top shouldn't stop you from anything, so here are some tips.
- Support your "girls" with a good sports bra. There are great companies like Moving Comfort and Title Nine that cater specifically to women who are a bit more busty. Bras range in price from $30 to $60, but it's well worth the dough. They'll not only cover up your cleavage, but they'll prevent excessive bouncing, which as you know, can be very uncomfortable.
For a couple more helpful tips, read more.
- Wear a sport top that has a shelf bra attached to it — yes, wear it over your sports bra. Often, a sports bra alone won't do the trick for high intensity activities such as running and jumping rope.
- If your large chest causes back pain, which in turn makes your back hurt even more when running, choose a type of cardio exercise such as hiking, bike riding, swimming, or speed walking that requires less jumping movement.
- Work your core. Since you have extra weight in your upper torso, you'll need a strong back and abs to support it. Do some elbow planks and back strengthening moves at least three times a week. This will help prevent back pain.
- Since a bigger chest can also cause poor posture, try yoga and Pilates to learn moves that will encourage you to lengthen your spine.
- If you're too self-conscious about bouncing at the gym on the treadmill, just up the incline on the machine and walk uphill instead. Not only will it get your heart rate up without running, but it'll also tone your thighs and buns beautifully.
- If you're self-conscious about people ogling you while exercising, choose less crowded areas to work out. Fitness classes are great since most participants are too busy sweating to look around the room. Woodsy trails and bike paths are also good options since they're usually less populated, and you can do your thing without seeing too many people. Working out with a group of friends outdoors may also help you feel like there's less attention on you.
If you have any more tips, please share them in the comments section below.

Diesel
COUTURE COUTURE
My-Wardrobe.com
Most of these are good tips, but at a certain point there is just no way to run with a big chest. I'm a J-cup; they don't make supportive sports bras to fit me. Running is just not an option.
1I wear two sports bras and a shelf-top for my DDs, but this bra from Enell is fabulous, Oprah endorsed -- http://www.enell.com/
2Finding the right sports bra is key!
3Sometimes it just HURTS with the bouncing. I don't know how those ladies on Biggest Loser can stand it. I'm fairly normal all over and short, but pretty well endowed. Jumping jacks are painful, not to mention jumping rope. And I LOVE jumping rope. Even two bras don't ease the pain that much.
4Champion also makes excellent sports bras for the well-endowed and they're reasonably priced too!!
5I sort of wish I had this problem sometimes.
6I'd also suggest not being afraid to try an underwired sports bra. A proper fitting one won't chafe...I trained for and ran a half marathon in one with no problems.
ValancyJane, have you tried this sports bra?
http://tinyurl.com/dher7s
I've had better success finding good sports bras for larger cup sizes in European brands. They seem to realize that women come in sizes above a DD cup.
7I've been searching for months to find one that will fit me. I ended up buying two of these ones by Champion: http://is.gd/nLdf
I'm a 36DD (but wear a 38D in this bra for better compression), and the combined underwire and cross-back really does the trick for high-intensity training. If I'm going running, I usually wear a shelf-bra top over it, just for comfort, though (layers to avoid... um... nippage).
8I'm a D but even with some of the bras made for larger girls, I still need to double up when I run. I think it's because I have a tendency to bounce when I run (and walk) rather than keep my head at the same level. My current favorite combination is Champion with a Moving Comfort on top.
9I am a 36DD, I bought an enell sports bra and was completely AMAZED at the support. I could actually go RUNNING
I will NEVER go back to another bra. Now they have a lighter version bra. So I ordered one to see if I could wear it as an everyday type bra. LOVE IT!!!! Now
I need to buy like 5 more, because I can't wear a regular bra anymore.
10This isn't a problem for me...I'm an A cup, so I can pretty much get away with a regular ol' sprots bra and it holds the girls in place nicely.
Valencyjane--If you're a J-cup, I would imagine that your breasts interfere with a lot more than just running. Have you looked into a breast reduction at all? I think your insurance would cover it. I saw a woman on TV who was getting a reduction because she had I-cups. And hers were absolutely massive. If yours truly are that large, your insurance would probably cover it because it interferes with your daily life.
11I find the suggestion that a J cup should get a reduction somewhat insulting.
I understand that you're probably not intending to be insulting but that's how it comes across. Not everyone with larger cup size has physical problems because of it just like not everyone who has small breasts has a complex about it and want implants.
12I wear two bras. At least one will have underwire for extra support. I've tried some bras that are for bigger breasted women and find that they still don't have the same support/compression as two bras. I don't want the girls to move at ALL when I'm exercising. It just hurts!
13Sorry if I came across as insulting, but unlike with small breasts, having extremely large breasts really can get get in the way of things. I had a friend who had a reduction done and she was only a DD to start with and she loved the result. I'm not saying everyone with large breasts should get a reduction, but I am saying that I KNOW how big a J-sized cup is and it goes far beyond what most people would consider simply well-endowed.
14I'm a 38I/J or 38H so I think I have a pretty good perspective on the issue.
They don't 'get in my way' beyond having a bit of difficulty finding bras and shirts that fit properly. And I'm not freakishly proportioned.
There's a big difference in proportion between a 32J and 40J. A 32J is going to be more obviously 'big breasted' than someone who's larger framed.
Keep in mind that while the 'average' bra size is 36C, most women are wearing the wrong size bra...and most women err by wearing too large a band size to accomodate and underestimation in cup size. I remember getting fitted in my early 20s and being shocked that I should have been wearing a 34DD instead of the 40C I had been wearing at the time.
15Sorry, that should have read 40H.
16For my frame, I'm fairly well-endowed. I'm a petite size 2, and I have natural C-cups. I posted this before, but someone once thought I had breast implants. I guess I have that breast-implant look (to my chagrin).
I get my sports bras from Title Nine. They last a long time.
17I have got 2 Moving Comfort bras and am very satisfied with them.
18I have to agree with valancyjane! I used to be a large E, bordering on F cup, and I couldn't run. Period. At least without feeling like I had to hold my breasts up at the same time, which always looks great. (I actually had to do that, when forced to run at my high school sports day. Fun times.) I had a breast reduction last year and in the past couple of weeks, I've been able to run for 25 or 30 minutes without a break. I know that to a lot of you, that's nothing (and I remain impressed and flabbergasted by your marathons!) but to me, who literally has never run for longer than two or three minutes before, it's huge. Unlike my new tiny breasts, which are now a very small B cup!
You have to keep in mind, and I apologise for a potential TMI, that when you really are well-endowed (and I know that at my biggest, I was still much smaller
than many women and you all have my total empathy), some people (like me) can't even take a shower without literally having to hold your breasts up. It sucks. End of rant.
19Moving Comfort makes a great, relatively inexpensive bra! (It's like $40) I'm a 36DD and run all the time... awkward! I hate running on treadmills and getting stared at. Ugh. Even with the sports bra the girls have got some bounce, but it's not painful. I need a new sports bra soon and I think I'll try the Enell though, if it's as good as you all say it is!
20i do the two bras/shelf top combo (i'm a dd) but developed a rash... any suggestions to help?
21I'm a 42H, I swear by my Enell, it's the only way I can be active without bouncing. I also wear a shelf bra shirt on top of that. I don't know if any of the larger busted women on this thread have tried running with less supportive sports bras, but I felt that with each bounce, my breath would be taken away, even if my legs weren't tired I would have to stop after a few minutes b/c I couldn't breathe. With the Enell, I can keep going and stop when my WHOLE body is tired.
22I am a 36L cup. I saved up and got a custom-fitted Enell. It's awesome, but I still can't run. It does provide me with wonderful support for day to day activities like gardening and walking stairs and such; however, dissappointingly, it is still not enough support for someone with my size bust to run-- I admit I got my hopes up when I ordered.
Still, it is the best bra I have ever had, and at least now I can walk my dogs without pain! Hey, I'll take what I can get! The seamstress was really sweet and professional in working with me to get the size right (with my size, I'm used to getting snickers from salespeople), and the bra is the most comfortable thing I have ever worn (probably because it's the only thing that has ever fit properly!!).
I thoroughly recommend the Enell bras. If I ever won the lottery I'd buy enough to wear one every day!
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