Hello to everyone! I'm thinking about buying my first chest binder, which I'll be wearing only in the gym (I'm still in the closet and my "excuse" to buy it is that boobs are always in the way when I do martial arts). My question is: is it safe to wear a binder during sport? I don't know if breathing is the same with a binder on or if it will limit my movements And..will I be able to pull it off when I'll be sweaty? Or will it stick to my skin like there's no tomorrow? Do you have suggestions for me? I'm a bit overweight so I have fat near my armpits, my chest is a 40 B size. It will be my first experience with a binder so it's ok if it will not flatten me out completely
First of all, make sure your binder isn't too tight. It shouldn't inhibit inhalation (expansion of the lower ribcage) or feel painful when you put it on. If you're just starting, please start by doing simple, non-strainous, movements (taking a walk, doing usual stuff around the house), because it's important to adjust to breathing differently with a binder, since if you don't, you could faint. Just work up to it, I guess. Doing something like martial arts while wearing a binder may be too much. To be honest, it's generally discouraged to exercise with a binder, because a binder does make it harder to move / breathe effectively. It's highly recommended to wear a flattening sports bra (I hear the frog sports bra is flattening) instead, as they are more flexible and made for exercising. Also, sports bras are designed to wick away sweat/moisture. Always be careful about how you feel: If you feel lightheaded, it's best to take of the binder and take a break.
I wouldn't exercise with a binder on, especially if you're not used to the compression in the first place. I can't even run to the bus stop without wheezing for the next 30 minutes and having chest pains and that never happened before binding. There's not really any point exercising with it on if it's gonna limit your capability and cause you to perform worse than you usually would. I'd go with a sports bra or maybe a binder a size bigger than your actual size to use for exercise.
I would not recommend buying a binder only for exercise. It takes the body a certain amount of time to get used to binding and I was personally never able to exercise with a binder, even after binding for like three years. Maybe get a sports bra instead or buy the binder one side larger.
To echo what the above posters said, breathability is very important while exercising. This is a question I've been trying to find and answer to as well because I have done a few different kinds of workouts and tried some different things. I have found that generally, a loose binder works well for moderate or light physical activities. I can dance in it and am pretty mobile. However, for things which are physically strenuous or require wide, or specific ranges of motion wear a sports bra. Listen to your body. If you're experiencing pain or cannot breathe you need to try something else. Something I am looking into that I've heard is good, is the Underworks swimming binder. I am a swimmer and will be needing something to wear at college so I intend to get one and try it out. The swim vest itself is $40 and is highly reviewed. People also say they have had good experience working out in it. May be worth looking into.
Honestly it depends on your body. I wore an old, loose binder of mine for a beginner karate class (think learning the stances, basic punches/kicks)-- I'm in average shape, but had a hard time breathing and had chest pain for a while afterward. I definitely would not wear it for anything more advanced. However I have no issue running in the same binder. Also, many people have had issues removing or putting on a binder if they are sweaty/wet, for example after a shower. Depending which brand you buy, I've found gc2b is slightly easier to remove/wear while wet, but underworks-- I have to wait until things are 99% dry before it will go on/off. In general I think a sport bra would be best for exercise. Binders are really not meant to exercise in, so it's safer to use a sport bra as well as more comfortable. The downside is it won't get you as flat, although they do make "compression" ones which bind a bit. But I would rather have a bit of chest showing than hurt myself or be unable to breathe. If you must use a binder I would recommend a size up, or a binder that has been worn for a while and become loose. Otherwise you can still use the excuse to get one for normal wear, then use a sport bra or something easier to breathe/move in when you're actually exercising.
I haven't tried myself, to be fair, but from the research I've done so far, wearing a binder for exercising is usually not recommended, and can actually be damaging. Maybe wear a couple of sports bras instead for starters? (One that will flatten your chest a little, and once flattened the second one may help flatten it some more.)
Sorry for the delay, I had some problems with my internet connection Thank you for your answers: I'm still reading through all of your messages, but I understood that my idea isn't a safe one, so I'll abandon it But I'm a bit confused about the sport bra thing, because here in Italy sport bras are designed to sustain and keep everything in place without flattening too much (or even with push-up effect, girls want to be sexy even in gym..) and that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Or with "sport bra" are you meaning the binders that are designed for sport?
Google Nike Pro sports bra. For example. You could order such a bra from the internet. I can't help with the size though. But I remember they have decent sizing charts you can make use of if you have a measuring tape.
Enea-- yep, it's true that most sport bras are more to hold things in place than to flatten. However there are methods of how to wear it in order to bind. I've heard something about wearing two, with one backwards-- couldn't figure that out myself. Personally I always found one with a wide "band" at the bottom, and flipped that up over the widest part of my chest. If you search "how to bind with sport bra" I'm sure there's a guide out there somewhere. However, some sport bras are specially marketed to compress... it won't work as well as a binder, but it would flatten more than a regular sport bra on it's own, and would be safe to exercise in. So it may help to look for a "compression bra" rather than a general "sport bra". I think Underworks does sell a "compression bra" along with their regular binders so that could be a place to start.
As I would just be reiterating what others have said, I'm not going to go into the fact that you shouldn't be wearing a binder for exercise. However I think it would be worth checking out https://www.titlenine.com/product/frog-bra-320927.do It is suggested in the binding resources post pinned at the top of this category and should have safe minimising sports bras/bras. They're one piece so if you push your pecs towards your armpits you'll flatten a lot.