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    Exactly What To Consider When Choosing A Sports Bra

    First, let’s get one question out the way: Do you really need a proper sports bra? After all, it’s a lot of money to fork out for such a tiny piece of fabric. The short answer: Yes. Even if your go-to everyday bra is padded and underwired to the max (hello, cleavage!), it doesn’t offer enough support to withstand your workout.
    According to the Portsmouth University research team, more than 70% of women wear the wrong bra size. When choosing a sports bra, they advise looking for a comfortable fit in five areas: the underband, cups, underwire, centre-front and shoulder straps.
    There are no muscles within the breasts – they’re essentially a collection of fat and tissue held to the body by ligaments and skin – and the issue is that neither of these is especially strong. The connective tissue that holds the breast to the chest is comprised of Cooper’s ligaments, which naturally extend with age and over time – but exercise without supporting them properly and they could stretch up to 2cm during high-intensity workouts.
    READ MORE: Finally! Sports Bras That Don’t Feel Like Freaking Straitjackets
    What’s more, contrary to how your breasts may appear to move up and down as you run, burpee or push press, they actually swing in a figure of eight. It was this discovery that inspired the design of Under Armour’s Infinity bra. Instead of following the traditional method of constructing a sports bra – cutting two breast-shaped cups from a flat piece of padding, glueing and layering pieces of foam – they liquid-injected the foam in a figure-eight (a.k.a. infinity sign) shape, making the bra feel more natural and comfortable without sacrificing support.
    Debbie Risius, senior research associate at Portsmouth University, states that a woman’s choice of sports bra can also influence her breathing rate and thermoregulation during exercise. This is down to the fit of the bra and the fabric from which it’s constructed: a 2013 study found that, while all sports bras reduced the cooling ability of the breast – simply by virtue of being another layer of clothing – sports bras made from polyester allowed for better thermoregulation than bras made from other composite materials.
    Now we’ve established that a sports bra is a worthy investment, here are five things you need to know when choosing a sports bra.
    READ MORE: 5 High-Impact Sports Bras That’ll Actually Keep Your Boobs in Check
    1/ Your Bra Size
    All kinds of things can influence the size of your breasts, from your menstrual cycle to pregnancy to weight loss. Yet most of us still buy bras according to measurements taken years ago. What’s more, not only do your breasts change size – bras can vary in size from brand to brand.

    When to get measured: It’s been more than six months since your last fitting, your body has changed or you’re buying a different brand than your usual. Trying on? Make sure you can’t pull the band more than five centimetres from your chest or the straps more than five centimetres from your shoulders. And make sure the cups fully enclose your boobs.
    READ MORE: The 8 Best Groin Stretches For Anyone Who Sits All Day Long
    2/ Your Workout Style
    When you scope out the sports bras on offer, you’ll notice they’re divided into different categories. Usually these will be called high, medium and low impact or high, medium and low support. This is to help you match your bra to the type of workout you do.
    Your workout: Running, bootcamp, martial arts, boxing, bodyweight training, anything involving jumping or skipping
    You need: High impact. Look for racerback straps and padded or moulded cups. If your breasts are small, you could also you use a medium impact bra.
    Your workout: Cycling, spinning, weight lifting, the gym circuit, hiking
    You need: Medium impact if your breasts are small; high impact if they’re medium to large. Look for broad straps and padding and/or sturdy fabric with a light stretch.
    Your workout: Yoga, Pilates, Barre
    You need: Low impact for small boobs; medium impact for medium boobs; high impact for large boobs. Look for comfortable, stretchy fabric, padding optional, strap width according to your preference.
    3/ The Fabric
    You know that feeling when you walk out of a spinning class and your bra feels like a wet sea creature strapped to your chest? Avoid that sea-sponge feelin’ by choosing synthetic fabrics that don’t hold onto sweat. Words like “moisture wicking”, “breathable” and “ventilation” are what you want to see.

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    June’s – The Clarity Issue with Lala Diamonds

    Fashion

    by Amy Sessions
    1 minute ago

    Creative Direction: Amy SessionsPhotographer: Greg AdamskiMakeup & Hair: Ania PoniatowskaProduction: Olivia MorrisFashion Assistant: Sarah JosephVideographer: Ahmed AbdelwahabModel: Farnoush HamidianAll fashion available at bloomingdales.ae
    Welcome to The Clarity Issue.
    This issue focuses on clarity of mind, body and most importantly vision.
    One call-out for this month and with clarity of vision in mind, is the launch of the new version of emirateswoman.com 2.0. The new website is designed to deliver an enhanced reader experience to match the appetite of our ever-growing regional and international audience. We are grateful to be growing this community and this was the vision from the outset, to have both a global and local viewpoint.
    Aligning the standard of digital aesthetics to that of the content produced and with the execution level of the print issues important focus as this allows digital to reflect the incredible work the team produces on a daily basis, showcasing it in the best light. I couldn’t be prouder of what the team have achieved – huge congratulations!

    For our cover shoot Elevated Cool we partnered with Lala Diamonds, a fine jewellery brand dedicated to crafting timeless pieces with an added edge and from stones with optimal clarity.
    We have exclusive interviews with Chaumet’s CEO Jean-Marc Mansvel in An Emblem of Distinction, Suzanne Santos, Co-Founder & Chief Customer Officer AESOP in The Invisible Details and Ann-Caroline Prazan, Guerlain’s International Artistic Director in Natural Clarity.
    Beauty and lifestyle-wise, we look at purifying from the inside to see clarity on the outside. In Nourish we compile an edit of the best smoothie and juice recipes for clean skin and a clear mind, A Clear Path to Beauty looks at how Gua-Sha contours and refines and Refuel gives us the full lowdown on how to hydrate, invigorate and rejuvenate with vitamin IV therapy.
    We spend time in the office with Julie Lemke, Founder of Julie Lemke Skin in Personal Space and speak to some of the most incredible women we know about how they find clarity in their lives in Finding Clarity.
    Finally, The Wanderlust enchants us with global bolt holes that feel next-level calming designed to deliver you to a place of clarity of thought.
    When it comes to clear vision, if in doubt take a step back and give yourself some peace. You always know.
    June’s – The Clarity Issue – Download Now
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Supplied  More

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    The Local Activewear Brands To Keep An Eye On In 2020

    We’re celebrating these local brands, that were featured as part of our Fitness Awards. These proudly South African activewear brands are the ones to keep your eyes on this year! 1/ Rush Activewear Tester: Susan Barrett, Managing Digital Editor 1/Rush Sports Short These high-rise sports shorts are perfect for coverage if you’re not a big […] More