How to Find your Best Running Bra: 2025

Expert Advice on Running Clothing,Videos: Running Product Advice

How Should a Running Bra Fit? / Running Bra Range / Why Wear a Running Bra? / FAQs

How Should a Running Bra Fit?

To determine your bra size for a runnning bra correctly, first check the size of your day-to-day bra. If it fits well you’ll either be the same size in running bras or a rib cage measurement up and a cup size down – you need to be able expand your lungs comfortably and that can mean you need a fraction more width.

Many of us wear the wrong size bra. So, the guideline to a well-fitted bra is: you should not be able to pull the strap more than 5cm from your spine. Nor should there be more than 5cm space when you pull the shoulder strap up towards your ears. However, you do need to be able to breathe! So, if you feel like you’re too restricted, try a rib-cage measurement up.

Band – check the band is firm (3-5cm of give) and level around the whole body. It should also move with you rather than independently. If it is adjustable, start on the loosest setting.
Shoulder strap – there should be 3-5cm of give and it should not fall off the shoulders or dig in. If you have broader shoulders, then you may benefit more from a cross-strap bra.
Cup – always check if the breast fills the whole cup and that there is no bulging or wrinkling of the material.
Underwire – check that it is not sitting on the breast tissue itself at the front or at the under arm.
Support – make similar motions to the activity you are doing.
Comfort – of course, very important!

Your bra size can change over time, due to weight gain, weight loss, pregnancy and age. Don’t assume you need the same size each time – try the bra on and check it still fits and works perfectly for you.

Best of all, visit our store and let our trained bra-fitters guide you through our range, and help you choose the best bra for you. We're running women too, and we know how important it is to get the correct one.

Running Bra Range

As an all-female running shop we are super excited to bring you MAAREE award-winning bras. Exclusive to our shop, these bras are game changers for female runners. We are talking perfect support without any chafing or restriction, letting you run with confidence and power.

One major difference from other brands is MAAREE's amazing Overband® technology. This adjustable band runs over the top of the breasts, providing enhanced upward support as well as encapsulating the breasts. Naturally, you get a fantastic underband support too.

Winner of the Runner’s World Best in Test multiple times, the Solidarity is simply the best sports bra we have ever found. It comes in a whopping 35 sizes. Don’t be perturbed by the lack of C and smaller cups; you’re going to need a different size from normal, so ensure you follow the size guide. Better still, visit our store and let us fit you.

Women's Maaree Solidarity High-Impact Sports Bra

£68

Women's Maaree Empower Sports Bra

£55

Women's Maaree Supportive Seamless Bra

£55

Women's Maaree Uplift Sports Bra

£45

Shop all Running Bras

Why wear a Running bra?

A well-fitted sports bra is important for all women who exercise, because it offers protection from gravity, meaning less damage to breast tissue and (we hope) no pain.

The average breast size in the UK is a 34D, which is 500g per breast, meaning that the average woman carries 1kg of extra weight. As the breast has no muscles and is not connected to any muscles in the body, it moves independently of the rest of a woman’s body. It's only supported by two weak structures: the skin itself and Cooper’s ligaments. So a good sports bra is needed to give support, prevent breast pain and limit the movement when exercising, especially when running.

When you get a running bra that's fitted perfectly, it gives you more confidence, and there’s scientific evidence that you can even run faster. Research conducted by the University of Portsmouth has shown a change in running gait can occur when not wearing the correct sports bra or any sports bra at all. They found that 4cm was lost in stride length, which means that if you run a marathon, you’ll run an entire extra mile!* In addition, the range of movement in the arms decreased, as well as body rotation. A change in breathing patterns has also been shown; women are more likely to take shallower and quicker breaths without a sports bra as there is more pressure on the rib cage.

(*This is worth bearing in mind when you have a shoe fitting – bring your running bra, or your gait could be different).

If the breast moves 60% or more, irreversible damage can even occur, meaning that the Cooper’s ligaments and skin will not return to their original shape once stretched. This can lead to a case of mastalgia (breast pain) and/or breast ptosis (breast sag).

FAQs

Why do I get breast pain from running?

If your breasts hurt during or after exercise this can indicate that you do not have a bra that supports you properly. If you’re able to visit our store we can do a bra fitting for you. If the running bra is perfect, then pain indicates hormonal changes – especially if you only experience the breast pain during your menstrual cycle. In fact you may need a sports bra in one cup size bigger just for when you have your period.

There is shockingly little research behind breast pain – especially when you consider most women will experience breast pain at some point in their lives. Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr at the University of Portsmouth has done great work in this area, and is the world leader in her field. If the pain is consistent, consult your GP. If you don’t get any answers, try looking at Professor Scurr’s research and papers.

How long should a sports bra last?

Like your running shoes, your running bra will not last forever. The elasticity softens through use and washing. Running bras should be replaced every 6 to 12 months. To maximise the life of your bra, wash it inside-out, and be sure to follow the care instructions.