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Driving down the road last week, I saw a woman running. My first reaction was, “Good for her!” Just drenched in sweat, killing it. I love seeing people out being active.

My second reaction was, “I wish I could pull over and give her a better sports bra.” She may as well have not even had one on. We’ve all seen it, or probably been her, when you workout and the breasts take off like the arms of a kid jumping out of a swing. They move every which way but that which they should be headed.

It’s not just unsightly or painful, this multi-directional effect of a good workout and bad sports bra on the breasts can actually have a detrimental effect on your breast health. Strap ‘em in ladies; the cost could be more than a quality sports bra investment.

New research from the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom, published by the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, found that “the breast was a barrier to physical activity participation for 17 percent of women.” Our recent sports bra nightmare stories are clue enough — the wrong sports bra can scare any woman away from the mildest workout. Sitting around looks better than the pain, embarrassment, and poor breast health that can come from a low performance or low quality sport bra.

No matter how small or large your breasts are, proper support throughout any workout is imperative. Not only does it minimize superfluous movement from “the girls” that could interfere with the workout, but it minimizes or eliminates pain associated with those movements. While the woman we saw running last week was committed to her workout, there’s no doubt she was painfully uncomfortable.

The scariest part is that there is real damage being caused to the breast tissue when “the ladies” aren’t properly stowed away.

“Not properly supporting your breasts, or wearing an ill-fitted sports bra, can potentially be harmful to the tissues of the breast over time. Running pulls on the breast in all directions: in, out, up, down and side-to-side. This movement can weaken the connective tissue that supports the breasts causing it to lose elasticity and even permanently damage your breasts,” explained personal trainer and fitness expert Kelly Turner in an interview at DietsInReview.com.

Running, doing Zumba, riding a horse, cycling, or anything above a mall walk can put great strain on your breasts. Wearing the right sports bra for the right activity can ensure your breasts are protected, and that you feel comfortable enough to make the activity routine.

Sports bras weren’t the only thing keeping women from exercising. Study respondents cited energy or motivation at #1, time constraints at #2, and general health at #3. Breasts were the #4 reason women don’t workout.

The goal of the study is to spread the word about the breast health/sports bra relationship.

“Breast health knowledge increased the use of a sports bra and levels of physical activity,” the study cited.

The researchers, Emma Burnett, Jenny White, and Joanna Scurr, concluded that with 33 percent of women not meeting minimum physical activity recommendations, the importance for increased “breast health knowledge” could be an effective tool in reducing known barriers and getting more women logging more physical activity.

If I’d had a spare ENELL in my trunk, I’d have pulled over and properly outfitted that woman on her evening run. I can hope you won’t be the next victim of a bad sports bra on a good run!

Punctured left lung. Attempted asphyxiation. Dislocated shoulder. Cut-off circulation. This sounds like a list of injuries after a boxing match, not your standard Tuesday undressing in the ladies’ locker room. These are actual things women have experienced during and after a workout while strapped in to their non-ENELL sports bras, not to mention sheer panic and terror when you realize you’re actually stuck inside. We have all been there!

There’s Dani Stone who recounts a nearly dislocated shoulder after trying to unhinge herself from a sports bra. “I gave myself a charlie horse in the neck that lasted two weeks,” she said. “Damn sweaty straight jackets is what they are!” Thankfully, the ENELL has a front closure system so there’s no gymnastics required to get out of it!

For Kenlie Tiggeman, it’s a six-of-one, half-dozen-of-another fiasco. “Either my circulation is getting cut off, or they’re not staying in place,” she recounts of her sports bra nightmares. She’s even had to do the multi-bra walk of shame. “I wore two sports bras last week in the hopes of keeping everything in check, but they rode up while I was on the elliptical. I had to cross my arms and walk out of the gym to put everything back in place.”

And she’s hardly the only one who’s had to double up. Or even triple up, in Gray Brand’s case. In high school, she remembers forcing herself into three sports bras while running the two mile “while an audience of my peers chanted ‘Uniboob!’ as I raced by them on the track.” It’s one of her most shudder-worthy memories, and she notes she’s got an archive of stories just like it.

What about nursing moms trying to take care of themselves and the baby? No, they don’t get a break either! “Nursing sports bras, in theory, are a great idea,” says Kerri Burr. “Hey! I can go work out, and nurse the baby right when I get home! Perfect!” But like much of motherhood, she recalls that it never goes as perfectly as you’d planned. “You go out for a jog. The little clip unhooks itself, and all of a sudden you are way too ‘free’ to be in public.”

But then, sports bras don’t have to be the root of all apparel evil. For some women, they’re a saving grace. Kay Cherryholmes, a woman who has taken on such physical endeavors as swimming the Alcatraz Escape from the Rock, climbing to Mt. Everest base camp, and hiking the Camino in Spain, says she switched to sports bras full time when a “broken underwire almost punctured my left lung.” Stuffing her bras with tissue to deflect the wire only ended in embarrassment when the wad fell out during jump-roping next to a cute guy at the gym. “So I switched to sports bras and I’ve worn nothing else for about two years. It’s LOVE,” she says. (Pro Tip: The ENELL LITE is great for everyday wear.)

Do you have any sports bra nightmares? (Pre-ENELL, of course!)

We love boob humor of any sort. After years of having a love/hate relationship with these mounds on our chests, you just have to laugh about them sometimes. This is a post by our friend Brandi, who has an expansive vocabulary of “boob” alternatives.

Once upon a time I was an awkward pre-teen girl with the biggest mess of curly mop, acne, and a completely absent sense of body image. I also had flowering buds upon my chest and I had no idea what to do about the unstoppable force growing beneath my pecs. Dear old dad loved to tell people that I was the president of the itty bitty titty committee. To this day I don’t know if I’ve ever been more humiliated.

I’ve been embarrassed too many times to count since then; my breasts at fault more times than once. I’ve fortunately graduated beyond the itty bitty titty committee and have even called them a colorful name or two.

Boobs, no matter what you call them, become a life force all their own. Whether they are the bosom of your self identity, a titillating source of your sexuality, or an udder burden, there’s more than one fun way to talk about them.

1. Air Bags
2. Boobies
3. Boobs
4. Bosom
5. Breasts
6. Breasteses
7. Bust
8. Cans
9. Chest
10. Chesticles
11. Cones
12. Dirty Pillows
13. Double Lattes
14. Funbags
15. Gazongas
16. Globes
17. hooters
18. Jugs
19. Knockers
20. Lovely Lady Lumps
21. Mammaries
22. Melons
23. Nips
24. Snuggle Pups
25. Sweater Stretchers
26. Tatas
27. The Girls
28. Tits
29. Titties
30. Twin Peaks
31. Udders

We came up with the first 31, but we want to know… what do you call the goods inside your over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder?

Depending on the surgery performed, it’s generally advised by doctors that you allow a 6 week recovery time after any breast augmentation. Naturally, few women will whip out their sexy Balconette bras straight after such painful surgery, with many women preferring to choose to wear either a surgical bra or an appropriate sports bra to aid in their recovery process. So what makes an Enell sports bra an effective alternative for the surgical bra? The restrictive nature of the fabric helps compress the breasts and allow limited movement in order for the breasts to recover quicker. The Enell bra is the perfect option for any woman who has undergone breast surgery; aesthetically the bra looks a lot better than that of its surgical counterparts- which have a tendency to look like pre-teen training bras- and yet maintains suitable functionality.  

3 key points that make the Enell Bra the perfect post-op Bra

• Front Facing Fastenings: After surgery it is generally advisable to have the bras fastenings at the front of the bra to minimise pain when removing the bra. The Enell bra features a front facing hook and eye system which allows the wearer to easily slip the bra on and off with limited effort.
• Shoulder Comfort: The large wide non-stretch straps distribute the weight of the breasts across the shoulders evenly which minimises strain and discomfort. Perfect if you’ve gone up a few sizes!
• Movement Control: The motion control neckline limits the movements of the ‘up and down’ movement of the breasts, after surgery it is paramount that the breasts stay as motionless as possible to reduce swelling and aid in healing. A Post-op bra tends to have to be worn 24/7 after surgery, the Enell bra’s large wide panel situated underneath the breasts make an extremely close and comfortable fit.

If you’re based in the UK or Europe and are looking to buy an Enell sports bra, then look no further than Boobydoo.co.uk. Boobydoo are a leading online sports bra retailer and offer free returns / exchanges on all UK orders. Shop Enell at Boobydoo today.

Many men have the need for a good support vest. Gynecomastia (male breast enlargement) is one of the more common conditions that may necessitate extra support. The ENELL Male Support Vest (MSV) could be the answer for you.

• Take two measurements: Around the fullest part of your breast and around the ribcage directly under your breasts
• The reason for and/or what you would like your Male Support Vest to accomplish
• The method in which you would like to be contacted
• The best time to contact you

Have you ever gotten an idea in your head that you want to do something, but then spend weeks researching it so you don’t feel like an idiot when you do it? This is exactly what happened to me trying out Bikram Yoga.

Bikram Yoga is a system of yoga that Bikram Choudhury synthesized from traditional yoga techniques and popularized beginning in the early 1970s.[1][2] Bikram’s classes run exactly 90 minutes and consist of a set series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. Bikram Yoga is ideally practiced in a room heated to 105°F (? 40.6°C) with a humidity of 40%, causing it to be categorized as a form of hot yoga. (via Wikipedia)

My ENELL SPORT Bra and I survived Bikram Yoga!

Things to Take to Class:

• Yoga Mat
• Long towel for your mat: You can purchase a special yoga towel that is thin but also the proper dimensions for a yoga mat if you think you’ll make this a habit, but a regular large bath towel works fine also.
• Hand towel for the dripping sweat: You won’t be able to wipe your brow on your shirt as it will be wet. Plus your hands will get slick, so you need to be able to dry them off.
• Water
• (optional) a friend – it helped get me in the hot room to know she was there suffering with me at first!

Top 5 Tips:

1. Talk to the instructor in advance: As part of my “research,” I spoke to the studio owner and one of the class instructors prior to committing to a class. I worried if I was too out of shape or not flexible enough. They gave me the answers I needed to hear to make myself feel comfortable walking into a super hot room for 90 minutes. The peace of mind was great. If by chance you happen across less kind instructors, save your money and take it elsewhere to a different studio. Yoga is not for the elite – it is for everyone.
2. Wear less clothing: This is not for vanity purposes, this is strictly for comfort. You will sweat, a lot. (You’d be just as soaked if you had run through your yard sprinklers for about 5 minutes). If you wear full length pants or a longer sleeved shirt, it will get sticky and heavy fast. I’ve worn both my ENELL SPORT and ENELL LITE to Bikram Yoga and I’d suggest the LITE as it doesn’t come as high up on the neck and allows for better deep breathing as it’s a little more forgiving around the ribcage.
3. Stop stressing, no one is looking at you: I am not flexible and my body is quite round and much larger than the other attendees. In order to hold the poses (or get into them in the first place), you have to concentrate wholly on yourself and your body. One side-eye to the gal on your left and you’ll topple. So stop being so self-conscious. (Easier said than done, I understand.)
4. It’s okay to sit: My first class, I sat for 50% of it. I was just trying to stand the heat and humidity – forget about moving my body. While sitting, I noticed something: nearly everyone else sat too for a little bit. Even those who looked like they could do the class in their sleep with perfect form sometimes had to take a rest. It is okay! Just focus on breathing and take little sips of water if needed.
5. Don’t chug: In a hot, humid environment you will get thirsty. You’re sweating a lot of your hydration away so it’s natural to want to grab your water bottle. Don’t take large gulps of water, otherwise you’ll feel really bloated and nauseated. Tiny sips are much better. You get to wet your mouth and not have your stomach hit with a liter of water.

Do you have questions about Bikram yoga? Experiences you’d like to share? We’d love to chat in the comments!