Exercise ideas with a monstrous bust?

PoppyFlower1
PoppyFlower1 Posts: 62 Member
edited November 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm trying to find free ways to exercise, that don't involve a gym. I'm a HH cup and tried running in the park....even wearing two sports bra's and a normal bra it hurt, a lot. So I switched to fast walking, and as I walked was followed by what looked like 12 year old boys on bikes shouting "alright big tits". So that was the end of going to the park.
I tried swimming and the same thing happened, a group of guys in the pool started saying "now that's what I'm talking about". Also swimming isn't free.

Does anyone have any ideas on free, low impact exercise that won't get me harassed? I can exercise at home but would prefer to go outside as it feels more like exercise for some reason :p. At the moment I am getting on top of newly diagnosed asthma so just exploring options for when I'm able to exercise again. Any help/ideas appreciated, thanks
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Replies

  • 2baninja
    2baninja Posts: 519 Member
    ride a bike, just make sure your shirt gives you enough coverage in front, do you have quite trails you can walk on? depending on what season your in, but go kayaking? good luck.
  • PoppyFlower1
    PoppyFlower1 Posts: 62 Member
    Thanks, I live in the UK in a city with no nearby hiking trails etc, the easiest/closest place to workout is local parks. There's plenty of them. I could go hiking further out but I'd have to drive for miles there and back which would mean spending extra on fuel, so less 'free' than I'd like. I always wear sports bra's and full coverage t shirts to workout, but still get harassed/followed, so I get scared as it's even happened when I've been with a male friend. I don't have a bike but could invest in one, although it may be safer if I'm gonna spend money to join a gym and use an exercise bike.

    It may be easier in the summer, I could avoid dirty old men/child pervs by going early in the morning or late at night but at the moment being winter it's dark until late morning and dark early afternoon, and with no street lighting in many parks it's not the safest plan. I went at about 8pm recently and it was pitch black, I couldn't see anything so went home.
  • PoppyFlower1
    PoppyFlower1 Posts: 62 Member
    Right, there are ways to dress that will not cause that kind of attention. Also posting about it seems like the opposite of not liking attention.

    Loose-fitting clothing - jackets, oversized tee shirts. I'm sure you know what I mean.

    I do wear loose fitting t shirts, and leggings. I'm
    posting to get ideas....until recently I didn't know there was free exercise equipment in my local parks. Someone told me and bam, free exercise. But then I started getting harassed so that became a non option. Maybe someone will have a gem idea, that I've never heard of. Hence the post.
  • dkabambe
    dkabambe Posts: 544 Member
    Agree with others that keep on trying things like walking/biking - hopefully you'll find a location/time of day that works without the issues you've been having. Otherwise you can find lots of stuff via fitnessblender/youtube/phone apps that you can do at home with minimal equipment.

    I definitely recommend fitnessblender.com videos - some exercises may not be suitable for your frame but as you go through you can work out ways to modify those or swap in other exercises at those points.
  • dkabambe
    dkabambe Posts: 544 Member
    p.s. May be worth going along to a weight watchers/slimming world type class (most offer first class free) and asking people there as they will be able to give you some specific ideas applicable to your local area.

    Secondly, if you're willing to spend a little bit to try out some different classes etc. then check out groupon/wowcher as they always have deals for different classes in many UK cities (try also timeout if you're in London). Normally only 4-6 classes per deal but hopefully deals will come up often enough you could do a different class each month of the year without splashing out too much.

    Lastly, if you do decide to go the gym route, nearly all of them offer a free trial so check their website. If not, MSE keep a fairly up to date list of current free trials: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/cheap-gym-membership

    Hope you find something that works for you.
  • Rosemary7391
    Rosemary7391 Posts: 232 Member
    Which city are you in? I'm in Glasgow and have the same problem with it being pitch black in parks this time of year, so I stick to running on the pavements under street lights. Could you find a group to exercise with? That might help with deflecting idiots. I really can't stand people sometimes!
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Some guys can be such *kitten*. Sorry you had to go through that it isnt fair. If it has to be outdoors, you are going to bump into people, and unfortunately people can gawk and leer. There are certainly remote places to bike or walk/jog but that opens up other risks/downfalls.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
    Sorry to hear that you've had some bad encounters. Perhaps try going early in the morning or later in the evening when it's not as crowded. I've noticed that I get more calls/attention in the bright daylight than in the morning or evening.

    What about roller skating? That's another fun activity and it won't cause as much pounding/movement as running.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    If you're in a bigger place then have a look at meetup. There might be free workout classes in your area: Hiking, faster walking, boxing classes, yoga, dancing, etc. Also look at Youtube for workout videos You could look for example for old bodyrock workouts and do them slower and such that you really get the most out of the exercises. I also quite like http://www.startbodyweight.com/ as it doesn't require any weights and is progressive.
  • hannamarie0098
    hannamarie0098 Posts: 85 Member
    The right sports bra makes all the difference. I choose higher cut styles which offer more support than many other styles. I have several shock absorber active sport bras which are designed for high impact, and one from panache which is perfect for the gym. I personally rate cycling as there’s less jiggle involved but still a great workout. I have two bikes, one for Road and one mountain bike. If you buy a good bike and look after it it’ll last you for years.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    Lynxsportswear.com has sports bras for women with size H/I/J cups. They say their Zoom model helps eliminate bouncing for the larger busted woman.

    I searched Meetup.com and found a couple groups of women in my town who went for walks or runs together. Some hiking groups will meet at a local store to carpool to trails that are out of town, so we share the cost of gas to get there. Also, I found a running store that hosts a once a week run in the early evening for women. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to look for activities that provide “safety in numbers.” The upside to that is you might meet someone to walk or run with you on days the group doesn’t meet.

    It’s so exhausting to be verbally harassed!! I’ve had to deal with catcalls and mean remarks. I hope you can find groups to join. You’re as entitled as anyone else to move around outdoors!

  • avatiach
    avatiach Posts: 307 Member
    I agree with the idea of finding a group to work out with. It will feel safer and you get to have workout buddies.
  • _riotgrrrl_
    _riotgrrrl_ Posts: 7 Member
    I can only recommend you work out at home as I did when I could only do so for free. All this talk about making yourself 'unattractive' is bull, as I'm sure most ladies can testify to - we'll all suffered street harrassment no matter what we were wearing at the time. You reminded me when I was at my Mum's in inner city London and on a particular health kick. I wanted to go for a run and the only vaguely sporting garment she had was a fleecy baby blue 'tracksuit' that resembled a giant babygrow. Still got catcalled loads. Never ran in Mum's neighbourhood again (growing up I was followed, catcalled and otherwise harrassed most times I dared to go out alone). I did things like Zumba and kettlebells at home for years. Now I'm a member of a no-frills gym that's within walking distance of my flat, so I'm much happier! Everyone's there to get on with their workout, I've got all the heavy weights I need and there are consequences for bad behaviour! Good luck, OP!
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  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    Go here: www.brastop.com

    They are UK based and where I order my bras. “K” cup. They even have a few different brands of sports bras for very large boobs. I LOVE my new sports bra. I run and jump etc and actually feel fully confident and strapped in for the first time in my life.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I'm sorry about the ridiculous comments you heard - that's never ok. If it weren't for the comments, would you continue the exercise? If so, consider trying different locations, different times of day, and/or finding a friend/group to walk/swim with. Headphones can help block out some of that kind of thing, if you're comfortable with them (i.e. not being able to hear as much of what's going on around you).
  • PoppyFlower1
    PoppyFlower1 Posts: 62 Member
    Right, there are ways to dress that will not cause that kind of attention. Also posting about it seems like the opposite of not liking attention.

    Loose-fitting clothing - jackets, oversized tee shirts. I'm sure you know what I mean.

    Worst effing advice EVER.
    This is the kind of thinking that leads to “You were raped? What were you wearing? How short was your skirt?”

    Fail.

    She came here to ask for advice and HELP because she was out of ideas.

    *OP, don’t you DARE dress down or try to make yourself look like less than you are out of fear. You can’t live your life that way because where does it end? Grab a great fitting sports bra (they DO exist in your size just hard to find), a bad *kitten* attitude, and if all else fails, a killer left hook. *wink*

    Thanks, and thanks to everyone that has replied, I really appreciate your advice xx. I had this debate with a friend recently actually....he was saying if women go out dressed slutty what do they expect as they are "asking for it" and have to take responsibility for themselves. I got really mad. It's like saying a child walking home alone is asking to be abducted. I believe women should be free to go out naked if they choose and not be harassed or violated. No one has any right over someone else's body. I'm glad I'm not the only one to think this :-).

    I've got a panache shock absorber sports bra, well fitted. With my three bra's on there's very minimal movement upon bouncing. It still causes pain though. I'm gonna try and run when hopefully the boobs get smaller as my weight gets lower, and then hopefully I can live as a normal person lol and not have to hold my bust as I run :p
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
    edited January 2018
    Get a better sports bra.

    I'm a HH and use a a "shock absorber" bra. I can run, hike, jump, do HIIT, ride horses.... no problems :)

    ETA: shock absorber BRAND bra, not the Panache style. SA bras do different levels of support, they're a monocup which is a negative point but they do do their job well!
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