Having a strong chest is not necessarily a gift. XXL size breasts can discourage sports practice (or even harm it!) for several reasons: “firstly, women with large breasts develop back pain more easily than others, because the weight of the breasts “pull” forward throughout the dayexplains Blanche Von Engelbrechten, sports coach. Secondly, when you don’t have a “classic” body shape, it’s not always easy to find sportswear in which you feel comfortable. Third, the chest can be a source of complexes for some women, who therefore prefer to avoid going to gyms…“
Result, a study from Flinders University (in Australia) states: women who have a D cup or above do less sport than others, with particular consequences on their cardiovascular health… So how can you (re)start sport when you have a generous chest? Advice from the sports coach.
1 – Choose “the” sport that suits you
Unsurprisingly, if you have generous breasts, impact sports should be avoided, at least initially: “sports where you jump, in particular, can aggravate back or posture problems, notes Blanche Von Engelbrechten. For a beginner athlete (whose back and abdominal muscles lack tone), this is a potential source of injury!“This includes: zumba, boxing, HIIT, etc.
So what are the recommended sports? “Disciplines that promote deep muscle strengthening, and especially the muscles of the upper body (chest, back, abdominal strap, etc.), are to be favored: this is yogaof Pilates…“Thanks to these gentle gyms (but super-effective for building muscle!), we gradually develop muscles in order to support our chest without pain; over the course of the sessions, we stand up straighter, we stand straighter, and we hunt back pain.
“In addition, the swimming is an excellent choice when you have a generous chest: the lift of the water, coupled with the work of all the muscular chains of the body, allows you to build muscle quickly and without risk of injury” adds the sports coach.
2 – Equip yourself well
Obviously, when you have a large chest, a sports bra with excellent support is essential. Sports coach Blanche Von Engelbrechten has two main recommendations: “choose a bra not too low-cut, which rises quite high on the chest, in order to have good support; also favor a bra that clips in the back (like a bra) in order to be able to adjust it as best as possible.“
The sports bra must of course be comfortable. “Think about technical materials (like polystyrene): they are certainly a little more expensive, but provide real comfort and last over time” underlines the expert. They are found in many brands, such as Nike, Adidas, Oysho, LuluLemon and Alo Yoga.
3 – Do muscle strengthening at home
In addition to indoor sports and/or group classes, some muscle strengthening exercises can help you develop your muscles in order to live better on a daily basis with your strong chest.
“The best exercise when you have a generous chest is plank : this static core exercise strengthens the deep muscles around the spine (which helps to compensate for the weight of the breasts and prevent back pain) and it remains accessible to everyone, even the biggest beginners!” develops Blanche Von Engelbrechten.
How do we do ? Lie on your stomach on a yoga mat, then place yourself on your forearms and the balls of your feet. Look for an alignment of the top of the head – shoulders – pelvis – knees – ankles; maybe help yourself with a mirror! Your gaze is turned towards the ground, you breathe calmly, your fists are not clenched, your stomach is drawn in and your perineum is contracted. Do sessions of at least 30 seconds.
The more sporty ones can then turn to the pumps, also excellent for posture and against back pain. “On the other hand, muscle strengthening exercises that involve lying on your stomach should be avoided, as they risk being uncomfortable…“
Thanks to Blanche Von Engelbrechten, sports coach at Fitness Park.
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