Opinions on just wearing a sports bra to the gym?

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  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    Here's my honest opinion on the matter. Some people may not like this.....but I don't think it is appropriate to do if you are over, say, 25% body fat. I say this because the gelatin like jiggle of too much fat as someone is running with no shirt is quite repulsive to me. I would never have subjected anyone to that when I was over 25% fat (I used to be 34.5% fat). I woul dleave that gym if I saw it.

    You would leave? You poor delicate flower.

    I think tying the rightness or wrongness to % of body fat is... well... a ridiculous way to think about it. Don't like the look, don't look. It's either appropriate or not.... irregardless of how GOOD it looks.

    I do agree with this, except for "irregardless" . . .
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
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    sports bras are usually (not always but usually) listed under tops when you shop, not undergarments.

    if you go to any major retailer for women's active wear, the front page, and all the pants shots are taken with only a sports bra as a top. Also, they wouldnt all come with matching bottoms if they were not supposed to show.

    bras_main.jpg

    Any argument that sports bras are underwear only, leads people to believe that the other half of all these matching sets should be worn under your pants. I refuse to wear pants under my pants.

    If you feel comfortable exercising in just the top, then you should do it. But make sure it's classy, the correct size and you arent bursting out of it.


    You have TOO much tiime on your hands...I'm going back to work....GOOD DAY ;-)

    Translation: You have impeccable logic and I want to appear superior despite your obvious win, so I will make an absurd unrelated remark in response.

    NO U R

    UR MOM IS.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Not all sports bra are made equally - some can be cute and sexy and more geared towards fashion then fitness. I'd say that's a no. But there are some nice 'full coverage' sport bra tops out there that are functional and appropriate. I think It also depends on the person wearing them....OP you can take this as a compliment...you're stacked, it's going to be harder for you to keep the girls appropriately covered. Maybe a light weight sleeveless running T with sports bra under it would be a option?
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    For those giving the Op advice or asking her questions - she posted this in June of 2012.


    it's cvool, most of the time it is easier to bring up a thread about a subject that alot of people are asking about, rather than start an entirely new thread. reuse renew recycle!

    Agreed, this is obviously a concern for the woman on page 2 who joined this month and revived the thread otherwise she wouldn't have gone through the process of actually using the search function to find an established thread that fit her interest.
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
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    For those giving the Op advice or asking her questions - she posted this in June of 2012.


    it's cvool, most of the time it is easier to bring up a thread about a subject that alot of people are asking about, rather than start an entirely new thread. reuse renew recycle!

    But. But. Didn't the OP say something about ripping her top off? I :heart: Bewbs.
  • SleepySin
    SleepySin Posts: 168 Member
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    I don't have a problem with girls that wear sports bras, but make sure you pair it with shorts that FIT. I don't want to see anyone's muffin top and I also hate when girls pair sports bras with the tiniest shorts. This is a gym, not a strip club.

    Muffin's belong in the oven.. *shudders*

    I should ask my gym about their policies too. It does get awfully hot after running :P
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
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    Kudos to the women who would feel comfortable doing this. Also I don't think there should be a double standard of which women can and can't just wear the bra. If it is okay for hot women, should be okay for overweight women too. Just don't look if you don't like!

    The dudes running around my work without their shirts *on are about 30% hot, 30% scrawny bean poles, and 30% saggy skin grandpas. So who cares, if they all get to run however they want, women should too.

    For me personally I don't think I could ever, even if I had "that body". The body is not a pre-requisite for me. Dudes stare at me enough even though I'm overweight and fully clothed whenever I leave the house. But if you are cool with the extra staring, I say more power to you!

    (edited for grammar)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    For those giving the Op advice or asking her questions - she posted this in June of 2012.


    it's cvool, most of the time it is easier to bring up a thread about a subject that alot of people are asking about, rather than start an entirely new thread. reuse renew recycle!

    Agreed, this is obviously a concern for the woman on page 2 who joined this month and revived the thread otherwise she wouldn't have gone through the process of actually using the search function to find an established thread that fit her interest.

    I also agree. Simply pointing of the OP may not respond as it is an old thread which is why I phrased it the way I did and not towards everyone who was responding.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    It's definitely an attention-grabber. I don't necessarily have a problem with it if you're not sweating all over the machines and not cleaning up after yourself. But get ready for some extra looks. And make sure it fits and coverage is good.

    June 2010, I was running a half marathon length run. I was in performance capris and a wicking tee over a sports bra. I was running for 3 hours along the new york harbor, under the verrazano all the way to coney island and back - it was monster hot and the breeze off the harbor that was usually there wasnt happening. I weighed 185 pounds or so - about 36% bf, i was dying and just needed to cool off my core for a few minutes.

    I wanted so badly to just take off my tee- just for like 5 minutes, but i always heard all these women talking about how girls who exercise in just a sports bra are attention *kitten* skanky desperate man hungry types and I didnt want any other runners to see me that way. I almost passed out.

    The next weekend, I did a 15K, got overheated, took off my shirt for 10 minutes, felt the air around my middle and made a PR.

    the extra looks come from women who dont approve of me. i dont mind them anymore, this is me getting fit, not us.
  • msacurrie
    msacurrie Posts: 144 Member
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    Modesty, please :)
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    nm
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Modesty, please :)

    Are you suggesting that if someone can see your shoulders and stomach then you are immodest?
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    Modesty, please :)

    Are you suggesting that if someone can see your shoulders and stomach then you are immodest?

    yes, you should pass out of heat stroke before offending her with your stomach above the navel.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Modesty, please :)

    Right! I hate the human body, and I'm so glad we... *Looks at tracker* Oh, nevermind.
  • azwen
    azwen Posts: 237 Member
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    It depends on what's typical/acceptable at your gym. I really never see anyone at my gym in just a sports bra on top. I do see women wearing a sports bra with a singlet over it. So at my gym, I would feel uncomfortable wearing just a bra. (Besides the fact that I'm not keen to show off my belly fat at this point.)

    If you see other women do this, and you're comfortable, go for it, assuming your bra is one of those colorful type that are clearly meant to be worn either covered or uncovered.
  • anumberger
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    Nothing wrong with wearing just a sports bra...even though a good sweat makes you feel like you really accomplished something!!
  • DorkothyParker
    DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
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    I wear a padded push-up bra to the gym. So I suppose I'll be keeping my top on. :)
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    It's definitely an attention-grabber. I don't necessarily have a problem with it if you're not sweating all over the machines and not cleaning up after yourself. But get ready for some extra looks. And make sure it fits and coverage is good.

    June 2010, I was running a half marathon length run. I was in performance capris and a wicking tee over a sports bra. I was running for 3 hours along the new york harbor, under the verrazano all the way to coney island and back - it was monster hot and the breeze off the harbor that was usually there wasnt happening. I weighed 185 pounds or so - about 36% bf, i was dying and just needed to cool off my core for a few minutes.

    I wanted so badly to just take off my tee- just for like 5 minutes, but i always heard all these women talking about how girls who exercise in just a sports bra are attention *kitten* skanky desperate man hungry types and I didnt want any other runners to see me that way. I almost passed out.

    The next weekend, I did a 15K, got overheated, took off my shirt for 10 minutes, felt the air around my middle and made a PR.

    the extra looks come from women who dont approve of me. i dont mind them anymore, this is me getting fit, not us.

    What I think is really funny is that I'm more likely to do this outside on an incredibly hot day than I am inside around people who I've been around for the past 6 years at the gym. When I'm on the road I'm free, but when I'm at the gym I'm suddenly at the hands of people I know who have opinions about my body. Sometimes I wonder if I would care less if I wasn't a class instructor at my gym where how you act and what you wear can impact your class attendance.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,679 Member
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    Okay, so I've been hitting the gym a lot lately, and near the end of my intervals on the treadmill (which I will be increasing soon from 40 minutes to 45 and up from there) I am sooo hot! It's really tempting to just pull my shirt off and run in my sports bra. I just want to know what everyone thinks about girls working out in just a sports bra and shorts at the gym before I actually attempt to do it.
    I say do it!!!


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    There! I changed my profile picture to me performing in a sports bra.