Sports bra for large breasts that doesn't pull on your shoulders

[ofwarren]

I'm a 34G and have started attending the gym.
I don't really wear normal bras day to day, I just stick with my molkes but obviously need proper support in the gym.
I've bought 2 sports bras that do hold me in but it seems the support is coming from my shoulders. I can see red marks and deep grooves there and I get an ache like I've been carrying weight (which obviously they have).

I can spent up to £40
Does anyone know of a good one?

Shock absorber...36 G here

If it's pulling on your shoulders you're not a 34. You need a tighter band

Try a 32GG
Also, look at a racer back or something that has a clip so you can turn it into a racer back. They're sooooo good at supporting me!

Shock absorber but go up a band size and make sure you get the high impact ones with two back fastenings. Ultimate runs have a big fan base but I prefer the ones that have the double fastening lower down the back.

Some of mine are 12 years old but still as comfy and supportive as they were when new, so really excellent value.

I swear by the Freya underwired maximum support sports one too.

As others have said, if it’s pulling on your shoulders you likely need a smaller band and bigger cup, as the support needs to come from the band

I always swore by shock absorber ultimate run as I was convinced
an underwire couldn't be comfy. but tired an Elomi energise last year and I am a convert. 40H

Thank you everyone
I'll definitely try an underwire

You really shouldn't need an underwire if the band is a good fit.
Get a proper fitting in a bravissimo if at all possible. I swear by the Freda active that they sell
Mine were fitted using an online fitting during lockdown. Not sure if they still do them.
And if you do decide to go the underwire route, which IMO is only worthwhile if you're trying to avoid monoboob, then the fitting is even more important. The non wired bras are much more forgiving if you're a size out.

And 100% agree with the others that the shoulder issue is nearly always a sign that you need to go down in the band and up in the cup.

I like panache ultimate underwired and wear 36GG

I was a FF for years, up to an H when bfing, and ran marathons at that size.

Either the Panache or the Freya underwired are the best. They support you all round rather than just strapping you in flat as the Shock Absorber does.

Shock Absorbers are ok, don't get me wrong, but nowhere near as good as the Panache or the Freya for large cup sizes.

You'll see people recommending the Enell a lot. Those are very expensive and also strap you down in the way Shock Absorbers do, rather than encapsulating the boobs. I find they chafe horrendously with the front fastening hooks as well, but that's because I was running very long distances in them.

Obviously not M&S or other high street brands - they are cheaper for a reason; though you could get away with it for lighter exercise perhaps.

And make sure the band is tight enough, as pps have said. I'm guessing yours isn't if the support is coming from your shoulders. With Freya you might want to size down (ie I need a 28 back in Freya but a 30 in other bras)

I'm not sure monoboob avoidance is the only reason to go for an underwire… the way it feels to me, the difference between having a wire and not having one is that with a wire, the manufacturer is able to better control exactly where the tension and pressure are applied, because there's a hard boundary between cup and everything else. As a PP says, you get a bit less leeway with underwire because it needs to fit you perfectly, but once it does, IME it's actually more comfortable (unless I'm doing something which involves bending down a lot), because my boobs are being segregated from the rest of my torso and given special treatment

I wore Enell for years and for most of my marathons. My cup size is too large now.

I currently have an Elomi Engergise instead.

Get yourself properly measured (not by M&S). If your shoulders hurt, either the back is too big, or the fabric is not supportive enough.

One of the ones I've got is front fastening and it really does chafe.

I love, love, love the Panache Wired Sports Bra. I love the clip to an X shape on the back and find this keeps my boobs exactly where they should be and is very comfy.

www.bravissimo.com/products/wired-sports-bra-pr100/#latte-pr100nud

Ooh, I like that it keeps you separate. Both mine are monoboob territory.

That's the one I mentioned - panache ultimate underwired. I get mine from the boobydoo website usually

Did you just measure yourself and order a few to try?
I get my size from the 'boob or bust' method mentioned frequently on mumsnet. I was wearing a 36 E till I measured with them.

Lots of good points from other posters, but one thing nobody has asked is if the straps are long enough?
I'm fairly tall so quite a few sports bras (including nearly all of the shock absorbers) dig into my shoulders even though the band and cups are correct as the straps just aren't long enough for me.

I wear my normal bra size in the panache bra.

• 36GG. Not measured the M&S way!

I hate monoboob. Apart from anything else, it eventually causes a rash between my breasts.

Not the case at all with this bra. I also just wear my normal size in it.

I'm only 5 foot 3 and quite short in the upper body. My bra straps generally have to be on the tighter side.

I think I'm going to try one of those.
I can't stand my boobs touching, and like you say, it causes a rash, especially when sweating.
Thank you

I'm a shortie with 36H boobs and have an Elomi sports bra. It wasn't cheap, £42, but is the best one I've had for keeping the girls in one place and is really comfy.

Ugh there's nothing worse than a mono boob in a sports bra. I always wear underwired as I hate it so much.

Freya epic is my favourite.