Parkour and breasts

[Hannah L]

Hey all girls out there!
I've recently started practicing parkour, but my biggest difficulty at the moment isn't the training or the technique, it's my chestal area.  I've tried a sports bra and a leotard to restrain, but I'm still having issues.
Do any of the ample-bosomed women out there have any suggestions or tricks? 

[Anne]

Welcome!

I happen to be gifted with a rather small chest area, so I usually just wear cotton sports bras. I'm afraid I can't help you from personal experience. 

However, over on girlparkour.com, I've found these two threads that may help a little.

http://girlparkour.19.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=62

http://girlparkour.19.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=36

[Jessie K]

What specifically are you having trouble with?  I find that wall runs are the biggest pain because if you don't get high enough you just bounce right back off...  In that case it comes with technique that you make sure you pull yourself up at the right angle.  (I'm actually working on shirts right now that way "Over the line, in the clear" since I've talked about this with girls before.) 

[Hannah L]

My problem is that they get in the way particularly when I run (the excessive pulling on the chest is a hindrance).
I haven't attempted wall runs yet, I've mostly been working on a variety of vaults, balancing, rolls, and general conditioning.  I was just wondering if there were any other females who had dealt with this.  It seems most women doing parkour are smaller-chested.
Thanks for the help though, everyone!

[Zachary Cohn]

Sorry to invade -

GUYS: please remember that this is the Girls Only forum. That means no posting.
Thanks.

[TraceuseDS]

My problem is that they get in the way particularly when I run (the excessive pulling on the chest is a hindrance).
I haven't attempted wall runs yet, I've mostly been working on a variety of vaults, balancing, rolls, and general conditioning.  I was just wondering if there were any other females who had dealt with this.  It seems most women doing parkour are smaller-chested.
Thanks for the help though, everyone!

Uhm, yeah. I've noticed this too. As far as technique goes, it's just something that you have to practice with until you find a good way to work around it. If you think about it, it's just another physical difference, like being taller or shorter. You adapt. As far as running/excessive motion goes...for me, the trick was finding a sports bra that actually fits *properly.* Problem is, most of the sports bras out there seem to be targeted for the smaller chested women (apparently women with larger chests don't work out? what the heck?). The standard cotton ones absolutely do not work, and if you go with one that's too tight, hoping to restrain a bit, you end up not being able to breathe. Totally counterproductive to running around and doing what you want to do.

Best solution I've found is Shock Absorber sports bras; they're a bit pricey, but I swear by them. They come in support levels 1-4, depending on what size you are and you want to use them for. I'm sure there are others that'd work equally well if you check around a bit. Maybe start here?

[Jessie K]

My problem is that they get in the way particularly when I run (the excessive pulling on the chest is a hindrance).
I haven't attempted wall runs yet, I've mostly been working on a variety of vaults, balancing, rolls, and general conditioning.  I was just wondering if there were any other females who had dealt with this.  It seems most women doing parkour are smaller-chested.
Thanks for the help though, everyone!

I think finding a high impact sports bra will be the key.  Get one intended for running and jumping sports.  It will be pretty tight but it will probably cut down on the movement.  One with the "X" straps in the back will probably give you more support.  I hope this helps, but no matter what happens, don't let it stop you from training!! 

[carolynn]

I don't really have this issue myself, but I used to get the Title Nine catalog and I remember seeing something that might be of interest...

http://www.titlenine.com/jump.jsp?itemID=676&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=674&iSubCat=676

[Hannah L]

Thanks TraceuseDS, richlybizarre13, and carolynn-I'll check out those different kinds.
Thanks for your support!

[A-SkyfiOriginal]

Thanks TraceuseDS, richlybizarre13, and carolynn-I'll check out those different kinds.
Thanks for your support!

support...sorry i caught the pun

Anyway, i wear a training oops, meant sports... bra over my reg one. It adds alot of extra support.
I would know...I have been cursed in the chest area...

[Hannah L]

SkyiOriginal-
It was a pun
Glad someone got it
2 bras...that's an idea....hmm

[Hannah L]

Thanks all of you wonderful traceuses out there for your help!
I found one, which I tried out tonight while I was training. 
It's a Mazimum Support, underwire, doublelined sports bra by Champion (see http://www.championusa.com/Champion/Products/Women-Champion/Women_ShopByCategory-Champion/Women_SportsBras-Champion/Women_SportsBras_MaximumSupport-Champion/CH6843.aspx)
While it doesn't look like much, it worked pretty well for me tonight! 
All of your suggestions and postings gave me things to look for when I went shopping.
And I had to laugh, the one guy I'm training with was talking about how some guys wear weight suits on their top half to help train their jumps (you know, to get height, especially for precisions to rails) and I thought, well women have a weight suit built in.
Have a great day everyone-keep training positively

[Rebecca Myers]

I wear two sports bras when I'm doing a lot of running and sprinting, and I'm not that big.

I knew this topic would come up at some point, hehe.

[Janine]

I double up.  Absolutely the best way to go.   Also, WORD on the wall pass shirts.  I want one.   

[Hopefulpilot]

Yes, yes YES! I'm not the only person in the world with this problem!! Woohoo! 

I've had a terrible time with bouncing around and such, and nothing I've tried has worked so far. I'm definitely going to check out the links posted above.

I was also wondering, do you think a large chest area can get in the way of monkeys, kongs, etc.? I haven't actually tried any of those yet, but I do have trouble pulling my kees up with ground kongs and burpees, and it seems like if I was smaller maybe it'd be easier?

[Hopefulpilot]

ROFL!!!! I was looking at the link Hannah L. gave, when my little brother walked in on me. "Cool! Bullet proof vests? Can I have one?"

[Hannah L]

Hopefulpilot- Oh goodness that cracked me up!!!
And no, you're not the only one!  (I thought I was, too!)
I attempted a kong since getting the bra, but my problem was more with the diving aspect of it and less with the breast aspect ;P
I guess they could get in the way for higher jumps, too, though.  Hmm...I'll have to try some things and get back to you.

[Muse_of_Fire]

ROFL!!!! I was looking at the link Hannah L. gave, when my little brother walked in on me. "Cool! Bullet proof vests? Can I have one?"

Hahahah! That was awesome.

I'm thinking breasts won't be an issue with kongs et al because by the time your legs are through in the tuck you should be starting to bring yourself upright; but I could be wrong. My guess is that if you are okay with being in a tucked/squat position (or something like child's pose in yoga), a kong should be fine.

I have a teeny chest, but once a month I get what I call "real woman boobs," and the past few years they have gotten so uncomfortable I usually end up wearing a sports bra day and night during that time. Even then it hurts to walk. Any suggestions for how to mitigate this (besides reducing salt intake)?

Just dealing with this for a few days a month is crappy enough. I don't know how you ladies with "real woman breasts" handle it 24/7... and practice parkour to boot!

[Hopefulpilot]

I wouldn't mind handling it for only 2/7! 

[Muse_of_Fire]

I wouldn't mind handling it for only 2/7! 

haha.

I fail. Typo fixed.