High impact exercises are intense, and they need the right support—from both your training buddy and your bra. These types of workouts usually have you (and your breasts) bouncing up and down with both feet off the floor.
Especially if you have larger breasts, but even if not, a quality sports bra is a necessity to contain your boobs as you move.
Check out our selection of the best high impact sports bras to wear during your grueling workouts. We have also reviewed what we believe are the best plus size sports bras.
This article includes affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products we have discussed in this article, we may receive a small commission.
We reviewed the following as the best high impact sports bras:
- Yvette Women High Impact Sports Bra (top choice)
- FITTIN Racerback Sports Bras for Women
- Mirity Women Racerback Sports Bra
- Syrokan Women’s Workout Sports Bra
- Seasum High Impact Seamless Sports Bra
Table of Contents
What Is a High Impact Sports Bra?
Exercise can make you feel great, with workouts like HIIT giving us that high impact intensity that we look for when we seek an endorphin rush.
The fact is, however, that when you move, so do your breasts. If you’re of a smaller cup size, ranging from A to B, you may get away with wearing a regular sports bra. If you’re of a larger size, however, you’ll find that a high impact sports bra is exactly what you’ll need to keep it all in place.
The best high impact sports bras have special design features such as wider straps and more secure bands. They differ from medium impact and low impact bras in the sense that they are made for workouts that involve more jumping and bouncing, like HIIT and horse riding.
They do so by combining both compression (pushing the breasts towards the chest) and encapsulation (lifting and separating the breasts) for the best support you can get.
Check out our overall take on the best compression bras.
High impact activities or not as we age the effects of any impact during exercise has a bigger effect on the body including the chest than when we were young and everything was nice and supple. Extra care should be taken with our bits as we mature and enter midlife.
The Importance of Wearing the Correct Bra During High Impact Training
The Importance of Wearing the Correct Bra During High Impact TrainingFinding the right clothing for working out isn’t easy. However, it’s incredibly important to wear a sports bra during any type of training, especially high impact training. The reasons boil down to two main things: maintenance and performance.
Breasts don’t have any muscles, so they move independently of the body. They are supported by “Cooper’s ligaments,” that when stretched too much, can cause pain.
To avoid this discomfort, high impact sports bras give that extra support to keep the breasts in place and prevent the elastic tissue from stretching.
Breast pain isn’t the only side effect of these ligaments stretching. If the ligaments were to stretch beyond 60 percent, it could cause irreversible damage. This results in the breasts sagging, and they are unable to return to their original shape.
Not wearing a sports bra can also affect performance. Research suggests that a change in running pace can occur when not wearing the correct sports bra.
Choosing The Right High Impact Sports Bra
The next thing you might be wondering is, how do you choose the right bra for your high impact training?
Make sure the bra you select will compress and encapsulate, to contain your breasts from all angles. The straps need to be wide for more support—those that cross at the back and racerbacks can help with this as well.
For improved comfort, you may want to look for soft, breathable materials. Those that wick moisture or dry quickly will prevent a sweaty post-workout bra, which is no fun at all. Adjustability is a nice extra too, so you can customize the fit to a T.
Finding the Right Fit
When selecting a high impact sports bra, make sure you get the fit right. You can do so by a professional at a store or at home.
To find your band size, take the narrowest area around your breasts, which is measured at the top of the bust. Then for your bust size, measure around the fullest part of your bust. Do some simple math and subtract the two measurements. The difference in inches translates to your cup size.
| Difference in inches | Cup size |
| 1 | A |
| 2 | B |
| 3 | C |
| 4 | D |
| 5 | DD |
| 6 | E |
| 7 | F |
Five Reviews of the Best High Impact Sports Bras
1. Yvette Women High Impact Sports Bra
A high impact bra designed for the plus-size group. This bra by Yvette is designed specifically for high energy activities and will keep your chest in place during strenuous exercise.
Yvette is relatively new on the block and specializes in sports bras for women. They have a large range covering petite to plus size – they have 12 sizes for every style with subdivisions in many cases.
We think the designs of Yvette’s 3 levels, high, medium and low impact bras, are very attractive. The whole range can be viewed at the Yvette website here.
Combining a professional design with breathable mesh fabric, you won’t feel “squeezed in” or uncomfortable when wearing this bra.
A nice touch is the extra breathability and airflow provided by the line of holes down the center of the chest.
The lift and support from all directions plus the double criss-cross back straps reduce stress and ensure your breasts are held in place no matter what.
We found the company support to be excellent. If you don’t like your bra or are having any issues with it, you can contact their after-sales professional team who can offer free exchange returns as well as answer all your questions.
Pros:
- Breathable.
- Criss-cross back.
- No wire.
- Support and lift from all directions.
- Featured in a wide variety of colors.
- Affordable price range.
Cons:
- A little effort getting it on.
- No adjustable straps.
2. Fittin Racerback Sports Bra
This bra comes in a myriad of beautiful colors, including aqua and red.
An interesting feature is that it’s able to absorb sweat really well through something called Climacool, which provides heat and moisture management through ventilation and moisture-wicking.
The racerback design and wide shoulder straps offer plenty of support. It’s easy to put on as well, with a simple pull-on technique that saves the time of clasping.
A great pick for a gym workout, but go for a size smaller for high intensity workouts.
Pros:
- Comfortable and soft fabric.
- Removable pads.
- Extra-wide shoulder straps.
- Racerback design for extra support.
- Moisture-wicking fabric.
Cons:
- Hand wash recommended.
- Better suited for under C cup size.
3. Mirity Women Racerback Sports Bra
Perfect for circuit and cycling training, this comfortable high impact sports bra will keep you cool during a sweat.
It can be worn on its own if you’re the kind of person who wears just one layer to stay cool during a workout. There are multi-packs available to ensure you have a clean bra for every training session of the week.
The Mirity bra’s double straight strap and four-way stretch construction have you covered from every angle.
The high coverage in the front keeps you feeling comfortable when you’re working on core strength, and the cut-out placed strategically in the back provides support and airflow.
Pros:
- Can be worn alone or under a shirt.
- Four-way stretch construction.
- Keeps you cool.
- Wide shoulder straps for comfort.
- Soft and stretchy.
Cons:
- Padding may move inside the bra.
- Colors may bleed in the wash.
4. Syrokan Women’s Workout Sports Bra
This bra’s attractive design provides a great look as well as double support for your high impact workout.
It comes in all sorts of great color combinations, so you’ll probably want to wear it on its own and show it off.
The Syrokan sports bra is ideal if you’re plus size, and will eliminate that jiggle and excessive bounce that large boobs are notorious for. Its high coverage also keeps your breasts in place while you’re doing squats, and the elastic underband helps prevent too much bounce.
Pros:
- Lots of designs to choose from.
- Double layered for extra support and comfort.
- Mesh panels to add ventilation.
- Slightly padded for better shape and support.
- Racerback for less stress.
Cons:
- Not suitable for huge breasts (HH).
- Not moisture-wicking.
5. Seasum High Impact Seamless Sports Bra
This unusual sports bra shaped like a tank top is an excellent option if you want to combine top and bra in one.
Ideal if you only want to wear one layer but feel uncomfortable with your stomach out. Unlike the workout tops with built-in bras that never work, this one is different.
Its peek-a-boo front allows for airflow as well as making for a very cute look. Although it’s a little snug to get into at first, it feels great and will support you from all directions.
It can easily be worn as a top on a regular day or during a brisk walk to the market—great for yoga, running or a full-on gym workout.
Pros:
- Soft and comfortable.
- Removable pads.
- Tank shoulder straps with 6-inch wide hemline for support.
- Minimizes bouncing.
- Not see-through.
- Breathable mesh layer.
Cons:
- Better for wide shoulders.
- Tight fit.
Jumping for Joy
High impact workouts feel great, but with the right bra, they can feel even better. The Yvette bra gets top choice of the best high impact sports bra especially for large chests because it comes with a lot of excellent features, looks great and can be used for exercises that involve jumping as well as other intensity training.
The Yvette High Impact Bra offers ventilation to keep you cool and has double criss-cross straps that give you both comfort and support.
You might also like our article on camisoles with built-in bra. Or maybe bras for the older lady.
