Interesting Facts That You Probably Didn't Know About Sports Bras
Nov 11, 2013 22:19
If it were not for sports bras, working out would be a pretty painful (not to mention slightly inappropriate) experience. To pay tribute to your trust boulder holders, here are some interesting insights from history on how these sports bras came to be.
The "Free Swing Tennis Bra" by Glamorise Foundations Inc was one of the first sports bra prototypes. Designed back in 1975, it offered pretty much zero support.
Lisa Lindahl and Polly Smith designed a more comfortable sports bra that was inspired by the jockstrap. They first tried stitching two jockstraps together before finally teaming up with Hinda Miller to create "the Jogbra." Check out the patent here.
By the late eighties, volleyball player Renelle Braaten, designed a hybrid that combined the popular compression style with encapsulating cups (ones with individual cups) that would cater better to bustier women. These babies are still on the market and are known for their front clasps.
Joanna Scurr, Ph.D., leads studies at the University of Portsmouth specialize in studying how female breasts move during exercise. Their findings showed that breasts move just as much, even when slow jogging or sprinting. Scurr's research found that encapsulated sports bras can help reduce movement by up to 73 percent compared with going braless.
A recent study found that one in three marathon runners report breast tenderness due to exercise, even when nine out of the 10 runners wore a sports bra. So while wearing the supportive garment won't make your boobs entirely weightless, they still help a lot in the long run.
According to the brand Champion, sports bras need to be replaced every 6-12 months. Any longer than that, and they won't offer the same kind of support as before.
[Deadspin]
The "Free Swing Tennis Bra" by Glamorise Foundations Inc was one of the first sports bra prototypes. Designed back in 1975, it offered pretty much zero support.
Lisa Lindahl and Polly Smith designed a more comfortable sports bra that was inspired by the jockstrap. They first tried stitching two jockstraps together before finally teaming up with Hinda Miller to create "the Jogbra." Check out the patent here.
By the late eighties, volleyball player Renelle Braaten, designed a hybrid that combined the popular compression style with encapsulating cups (ones with individual cups) that would cater better to bustier women. These babies are still on the market and are known for their front clasps.
Joanna Scurr, Ph.D., leads studies at the University of Portsmouth specialize in studying how female breasts move during exercise. Their findings showed that breasts move just as much, even when slow jogging or sprinting. Scurr's research found that encapsulated sports bras can help reduce movement by up to 73 percent compared with going braless.
A recent study found that one in three marathon runners report breast tenderness due to exercise, even when nine out of the 10 runners wore a sports bra. So while wearing the supportive garment won't make your boobs entirely weightless, they still help a lot in the long run.
According to the brand Champion, sports bras need to be replaced every 6-12 months. Any longer than that, and they won't offer the same kind of support as before.
[Deadspin]
