News — exercise

Physical activity can get addicting over time ⁠— which is great, since it’s common knowledge that regular exercising promotes good health. However, we have to remember that exercising is still a form of stress. While physical improvements in the form of larger and more defined muscles are extra motivation to go hard in the gym, it’s still important that we keep tabs on having an ample amount of time to recover in between our workouts.

This is why recovery is arguably the most vital part of physical exercises. Other than helping your body heal from continuous physical stress, recovery also keeps you from further straining your body. Post-workout recovery exists in many forms, like taking an ice bath or getting a relaxing massage. But in this post, we’ll take a deep dive into why stretching is the best post-workout recovery activity.

Why is it important to stretch after exercising?

A post-workout stretch brings a number of wonderful benefits to your body. Firstly, stretching after a gruelling workout mitigates your body’s production of lactic acid. Despite being a completely normal end product of muscle metabolism, On Health's Dr. Richard Weil notes that the accumulation of lactic acid can make you feel more sore and fatigued. A soothing stretch after an intense workout releases the lactic acid in your muscles, which in turn, instantly gives you a relaxed feeling. 

Aside from that, a proper recovery stretch smoothly eases your heart rate back to normalcy. If you were to just stop abruptly after a high power workout, you risk prolonging your fast heart rate and end up fainting.

Another great benefit of recovery stretches is that they loosen up your muscles and prevent them from creating larger muscle tears that could lead to injuries. Loosening your muscle tissues through post-workout stretches also allows you to move your muscles with full mobility.

Furthermore, there are a couple of mental and psychological effects that prove the worth of recovery stretches. As you do a cool-down stretch, your brain releases endorphins ⁠— also known as the happy hormone. Other than boosting your mood, releasing endorphins through stretching can also relieve the pain and stress caused by your workout. Finally, the time you do your post-workout stretches can also be used to meditate and reflect — thus further inducing a relaxing feeling.

Now that you’re aware of why recovery stretches are essential in a workout, here’s how you can do post-workout stretches.

What kinds of post-exercise stretches induce recovery?

We firmly believe that stretching varies depending on the kind of workout that you did or the body part that hurts the most. While stretching can differ depending on an individual's workout routine, fitness expert Jacque Crockford urges that post workout static stretching can reduce muscle tension in any kind of physical activity. To do a static stretch, simply position your body into a stretch with the intent of elongating and pulling, then holding said position for 30-60 seconds. 

For example, if you just did an intensive lower body exercise, you’d recover well by doing lower body stretches. The ever-popular butterfly stretch, where you sit with your legs bent at the knee and flat on the ground, is a great example of a lower-body stretch. While you do this, your thigh, glutes, and hamstring muscles are pulled away from each other, relieving the tension you just had from your exercise. However, if you tend to suffer from back pain, incorporating some gentle yoga stretches into your cool down routine might just do the trick. Pain Free Working’s Sheena Bergado recommends stretches like cat cow and forward fold, which entails you to stretch the entirety of your spine. From your neck to your lower waist, yoga stretches like cat cow and forward fold will surely ease any pain that you feel in your back.

It might come as a surprise, but even seemingly healthy activities like heavy exercising need to be properly eased out in order to maximize its effectiveness — and that’s exactly what recovery stretches aim to do. However, our post ‘Tips for Working Out in the Sun’ notes that no matter what kind of exercise you do, it’s important to listen to your body and stop if you’re pushing yourself too much. So, keep this in mind next time you do your workout and take extra care for your muscles by doing the proper post-workout stretches. 

Exclusively for theboobuddy.com by Julie H.

So you’ve made the decision to join a gym and you’re probably feeling a million different things; excitement, nerves and anticipation to name to a few.

Whether it’s your 1st time at the gym or you’ve been going 3 times a week for the past 6 months, there are still a host of mistakes you may be making.

There are a wealth of common mistakes many women make in the gym and these small mistakes can manifest into bigger problems that may have a negative effect on your fitness journey.

Take a look below at some of the most comment mistakes every woman makes at the gym and discover how we suggest you overcome them to ensure you really do make the most of every workout.

Not Taking an Induction

An induction is something all gyms offer, usually free of charge for new members. However, many gym-goers will decline this offer, thinking they know what they are going to do in the gym and how to work the machines.

An induction is not only a great way to try different equipment but it’s also an opportunity for you to get to know a trainer and ask any questions about equipment or your personal goals.

Not Trying Out all of the Facilities

Admittedly, a lot of the machines in the gym look terrifying. You’re not sure how to use them and in reality, you don’t want to look silly in front of others whilst you figure it out. But the reality is that if you don’t there could be a lot of things you’re missing out on.

This also is the same for classes or PT sessions, they are always a little daunting at first but we assure that they really can aid your workout and teach you a few new workouts or exercises.

If you are worried about working a new machine or joining a class, just watch how someone else does it before you have a go.

Being Afraid of Weights or the Weight Section

The gym can be an intimidating place, especially when you’re not entirely sure of how to best use weights, or if the weight section is dominated by men pumping iron.

Everyone has been new to weights before so don’t be embarrassed or afraid, instead head in there with confidence, watch how others assemble their weights and start small. It’s better to increase than to start off big and risk pulling a muscle.

There will be other females in the weight section so if you’re a little anxious, why not speak to them, ask for advice or just watch what they do.

Not Varying Your Workout

It’s so easy to fall into a comfortable regime but the gym is made for pushing yourself so you really should vary your workout. Switching it up is easy, have a day when you focus on legs, another on the core and another on arms as well as mixing it up with both cardio and weights.

If your body gets used to a certain fitness regime, it will no longer be beneficial so keep your workouts fresh for the best results.

Being too Shy and Not Asking for Help

You’d be silly to go to the gym and not make the most of the professional PT’s who work there.

Whether you have a question about your routine or want to know if your form is right, they are there to help you.

If you have more than a question and need more guidance for your fitness, many of the PT’s will run personalised one-on-one sessions with you for an additional charge.

Measuring Progress by Sweat

Many believe that the more sweat means a better workout, but this isn’t always the case. 

Those who are weight training or focusing on one area of the body may sweat less than those doing an hour of intense cardio but it doesn’t mean they have gotten less of a workout.

Progress is measured in many different ways, so as long as you’re seeing or feeling the results, then you’re doing well and don’t be deterred if you’re not leaving dripping in sweat.

Not Implementing a Healthy Eating Plan

Getting fit and healthy is so much more than going to the gym and working out.

You need to implement a lifestyle change which includes a healthy, balanced diet that sees you get enough of all the food groups particularly protein which will help you to repair and build muscle.

Comparing Yourself to Others 

Being competitive is a good trait, especially in terms of fitness but you should never compare yourself to others when at the gym. 

Yes, they may have wash-board abs or may be able to lift double what you do, but you don't know how long they've been training, what else they're doing or how they feel about themselves. 

The best thing you can do is focus on your fitness journey, admire other women and men for their achievements but don't get distracted from your own goals. 

Make it Fun 

For some women, the gym is the worst place on earth but that's because they're working hard with no enjoyment. From watching your favourite series during a cardio session to listening to your favourite music, the gym can be a fun place to be. 

If you work out better with friends, find a gym buddy and do workouts together and then go for a healthy smoothie afterwards or just have a 10-minute natter whilst still working out. 

Whatever works for you in making your time working out better, is worth it. 

Going to the gym is a great way to relieve stress, get fit and clear your mind but you do need to be aware of a few bad habits that will ultimately have a negative effect on your workout and progress.

Being confident, asking questions and trying new equipment and facilities can really help you to make the most of your gym membership.

If you’re a female and your assets are getting in the way of your gym workouts, then why not try the Boobuddy, a revolutionary new band that holds your assets in place, reducing movement and pain. For more information on the science behind Boobuddy, click here and to discover our stylish range of products, please click here.

Working out during the summer heat isn’t for everyone but for those who want to continue their fitness regime in the heat, there are a few things we suggest you do.

Working our safely in the sun should be taken seriously and there are a few precautions and changes you can make to your daily workout that takes into account the change in temperature.

Your workouts shouldn’t be halted by nice weather which is why we’ve come up with a checklist to help you work out safely in the sun.

Avoid the Hottest Part of the Day

When summer arrives and the temperatures increase, you’ll need to consider this before heading outside for a midday run.

Instead, opt to do your outdoor workouts early morning, many will head out around dusk but do be aware that it will still be warm and the humidity will be high. 

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated in general is key to good health but during warmer months this is particularly essential.

If you’re working out during the warm weather, make sure your hydrated before, during and after as you’ll be sweating more you need to replace lost liquid.

If you’re gently working out, water will be fine however if you’re doing a more intense workout in the heat, then we recommend an isotonic sports drink of some kind to properly replenish your body. 

Protect Your Skin

Wearing an SPF is always recommended during the summer but sometimes this can be forgotten when your getting ready for a summer workout. If you’re heading to a park or going for a run, then you need to make sure your skin is properly protected.

Wear at least SPF30 and if you’re working out for a long period of time, don’t forget to top it up as sweating will wear off leaving your skin exposed.

Dress for the Weather

The warm summer sun will make many want to strip off but if you’re working out this isn’t always the most practical solution.

Choose breathable, lightweight, light-coloured workout clothes that permit sweat to evaporate which means you can cool down effectively.

This type of clothing will also make a difference to how hot you feel and help to avoid any rashes or irritation caused by heavier clothing. You can also buy clothing with inbuilt sun protection.

If you’re really feeling the heat, dip your loose top in cold water and wring it out before putting it on, this will help you keep really cool during your workout.

Wearing a cap is also advised in the heat, keeping your head cool can help you to avoid sunstroke and wearing a wet cap will help to keep you even cooler.

Keep salty snacks nearby

When the weather is warmer, salt depletion contributes to heat exhaustion, especially when we rehydrate but don't replace the salt.

We lose salt through sweat so sometimes water isn’t enough to replace the loss of salt.

Snacks such as olives, salted nuts, or pumpkin seeds are a great way to replenish the loss of sodium and are a healthy post-workout treat. Great health bars also have sodium and potassium, but always read the label.

Precool Before a Workout

Precooling prepares your body for both the heat of the weather and the rise in the temperature of your body during your workout.

Precooling is the process of taking a cold shower or drinking an icy drink which will help to combat the high heat and may also help your performance.

Listen to Your Body

No matter how much you prepare and follow the right steps and precautions for working out in the sun, there is always a risk of heatstroke and dehydration. 

Listen to your body and if you begin to feel dizzy, nauseous, cold and clammy or have trouble breathing, stop your workout, sit somewhere cool and rest making sure you stay hydrated.

The summer heat doesn’t mean you have to stop working out but it does mean you have to adapt your workouts. Whether that’s moving your workouts to the morning or taking them into an airconditioned studio, you need to look after yourself whilst still accomplishing your fitness and health goals.

Remember to drink plenty, cover up and avoid too much sun exposure. 

We should all love and embrace our boobs whatever their size however for us big busted ladies, this is easier said than done when it comes to working out. 

Having big boobs is both a blessing and a curse but when it comes to working out, they’re definitely a curse.

Working out is just another reason why some big-busted ladies go through moments of hating their boobs, and arguably for good reason. Some would say that it’s almost as if our big boobs weren’t made for running, CrossFit or yoga.  

During workouts our boobs become sore, they get in the way and they’re impossible to control, so it’s not surprising that nearly a 5th of all women cite their breasts as a reason for not working out.

If you have big boobs, then we bet you can relate to all 12 of these reasons why working out with big boobs is the worst.

1. Boob Sweat

Forget underarm sweat, ladies with big boobs will know the real issue with working out is the excessive under-boob sweat that appears after even the lightest workout.

We’ll leave the gym feeling damp and a little bit gross but also wondering why there hasn’t been a deodorant specifically made for sweaty boobs?!

2. The Struggle to Find a Sports Bra that Fits is Real

No matter how hard we look, trying to find a sports bra that actually holds our boobs in place is nearly impossible.

Our draw at home is filled to the brim with sports bras that just don’t make the cut but for some reason, we just keep on buying them in the hope that one day a sports bra miracle will happen.

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3. Trying on a Sports Bra is a Workout in Itself

Sorry to the lady in the cubicle next door but a whole lot of jogging on the spot and stretching is happening next door…we need to make sure this is the sports bra to finally solve all of our problems. 

4. Tripling Up on Sports Bra’s is a Necessary

The lengths we’d to go to hold our gazongas in place during a workout is really something to admire.

We’re no stranger to doubling or even tripling up on sports bras to give us that extra support which can be uncomfortable to say the least, and let’s not get into how we get them all off.

5. Boob-bounce is Dangerous

Working out with big boobs means knocking yourself, or anyone else, out is always a possibility, it is therefore advised you keep a safe distance. 

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6. ‘Burpees’, ‘Jumping Jacks’ and ‘Mountain Climbers’ are Our Worst Fear

Let's be honest, anything that requires jumping or facing downwards is always a risky move for us, are we going to flash a nipple, will the whole boob come free or will I emerge with a black eye?

7. The Pain is Real

The very thought of going for a run with an ill-supportive sports bra makes our boobs ache and might be the reason why we don’t go for that run.

8. Unwanted Attention is Sadly Part of Your Workout

Yes, big boobs are sexy, especially when they’re bouncing around but can I work out in peace, please?

9. You Envy Small Chested Girls

Looking around the gym you can see girls with their A cups doing a HIIT class with no problems, sprinting on the treadmill and pulling weights over their heads with ease.

There aren’t many times we wish we could swap our boobs for a smaller model but during workouts, it definitely crosses our mind.

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10. Your Boobs are a Focal Point in the Changing Rooms

Women love other women’s boobs, it’s a fact and the gym changing rooms are the perfect place for everyone to catch a glimpse.

11. Trying to Sexy Run is Actually Isn’t Very Easy

Kate Upton, Pamela Anderson and Kelly Brook make running with big boobs look incredible but the reality is they fly everywhere and they hurt, but at least they look good for everyone else right?

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 12. Suffocating During Yoga is Highly Likely

We thought yoga was meant to be relaxing? Not for us big boobed girls, the downward dog should come with a health warning and when your instructor tells you to lift your chest off the mat, you just have to laugh.

We think it’s safe to say working out with big boobs is an adventure, but as much as they get in the way and cause us to hate working out, we do love our big boobs and wouldn’t have them any other way. 

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So, we might temporarily hate our boobs during workouts but we wouldn't change them for the world!

If your breasts prevent you from working out how you'd like, check out our unique breast support band. By supporting and holding your breasts in place, the Booband ensures you can work out in complete comfort. 

Now, we don’t know about you, but here at Boobuddy we couldn’t imagine a life without sports bras. Kudos to the women who, until the 1970s, had to sweat and exercise in their everyday bra with very little or absolutely no support.

The evolution of the sports bra dates back 50 years and it’s a pretty interesting story with women at the helm, of course.

1970's

Even though the likes of Jazzercise, mini trampolines and aerobics were a popular form of fitness for many women in the 70’s, there were no specialist bra’s to keep everything in place.

The first ever sports bra was created in 1975 by Glamorise Foundations and was named the ‘Free Swing Tennis Bra’.

They claimed this bra had more support than a normal bra but as you can see from their advert, the thin straps suggest there are not many dissimilarities between the tennis bra and an everyday bra from that time. 

Women who golf, ski, bowl, skate, sail, ride and cycle were the main target audience with no mention of running, jogging or other strenuous activity.  The advert only really addresses the freedom of movement, comfort and coolness and ignores the issue of support ie. the REAL issue. 

2 years later, in 1977, the “Jock Bra” was born.

Lisa Landahl was a big fan of jogging with her husband but hated the lack of support for her breasts when exercising. She often doubled up on bras or even sometimes wore a bra that was too small for her, all in an attempt to lock her lady lumps in place, we can almost feel her pain just thinking about it.

She was fed up with her bra chafing on her skin, runaway straps and sore boobs while her husband ran freely and supported, wearing a jock strap to keep his privates in place.

One day, Lisa’s sister called her for advice on jogging and was shocked to discover that Lisa wore a normal bra for running and joked “we need a jockstrap for women!”, which Lisa thought was actually not a bad idea.

Lisa then called her costume designer friend, Polly Smith, to ask for help with designing and creating a supportive running bra. After many failed prototypes, her husband came downstairs with his jockstrap over his chest and joked, “here’s your jock bra, ladies!”. Little did he know his joke was about to change the active world forever.

Lisa took 2 jockstraps and sewed them together, crossing over the leg straps to make shoulder straps, the waistband became the ribband, and the supportive aspect became the cups.

She tried it out and couldn’t believe she’d finally created The Jock Bra, which was eventually renamed to the JogBra, which gave her the support she was missing.

Who knew husbands could be so helpful?

1980's

 Fast forward to the 1980s and Jane Fonda’s workout video launched the aerobic dancing craze that took over the world.

This trend inspired women all over the globe to dance around in front of their television in neon leg warmers and bright, stretchy lycra bodies, which offered no support for the breast. 

Come on Jane, we thought you’d know better than that. 

1980’s

The sports bra has come a long way but they were still designed for smaller-breasted women and offered little or no support to big breasted ladies.

Renelle Braaten was a hair stylist and fitness enthusiast who loved volleyball but struggled with finding a sports bra that supported her big boobs. Instead of quitting sports because of her frame, she decided to make a change and one evening said to her mum, “get out your sewing kit because we need to make me a better bra”.

She moved away from traditional elasticated materials and instead opted for less-stretchy fabrics and implemented a full-coverage back panel, something which hadn’t been done before. 

This was a new wave of the sports bra and Braaten spent the next nine months perfecting her prototype, all the while testing it out whilst running and working out.

The Enell bra finally hit the market in 1992, but it wasn’t until almost 12 years later in 2004 that Enell became a household name thanks to Oprah Winfrey endorsing it on her TV show.

1990's

Sports bras were always treated as hidden undergarments that women should be ashamed of. But this all changed in 1984 when Joan Benoit won the first ever women’s Olympic marathon, causing uproar as her lingerie-style bra strap showed as she completed her closing lap.

Thanks to American soccer star Brandi Chastain, who in 1999 celebrated her winning point by taking off her top to reveal her sports bra, this brought attention to sports bras and increased social acceptance. 

This move by Chastian increased awareness for sports bras but also attracted a lot of criticism from many who said Nike’s sports bras were boring and unimaginative. This prompted many other companies to step up their game and design sports bras that were not only practical but also nice to look at.

2000's

It’s only been 48 years but the sports bra has come a long way and the advancement is only getting better.

Researchers are still studying breast movement during exercise to help improve the technology around sports bras and how to best protect the breasts during exercise. 

Yet, even after 40 years of development, there are still lots of problems with sports bras and they often fail at their sole purpose, which is to support and keep breasts from bouncing during exercise, with many large breasted women having to double or even triple up to achieve optimum support.

The problem is, most sports bras focus on vertical displacement (bouncing up and down) as opposed to side to side and forward and back, whereas the breasts actually move in a figure of eight motion.

This is where the Boobuddy comes to the rescue. The Boobuddy adds support, comfort and confidence when exercising. It can be worn alone or in conjunction with a sports bra to eliminate the bounce of your boobs.

We wish we could go back in time and give a Boobuddy to Lisa Landahl and save her from wearing her husband’s old jock strap. Thankfully the Boobuddy is available to you today, check out our latest products here or read testimonials from previous customers here.

Nearly one in five women say their breasts stop them from partaking in physical activity, but this doesn’t have to be the case. We know working out isn’t the easiest of tasks, particularly when it’s something you don’t really enjoy.

From the uncomfortable pain of bouncing breasts to feeling self-conscious in a public gym and everything else that comes with working out, we know the struggles you face.

We wanted to make a difference to your work out, which is why we created the Boobuddy, a supportive, wearable fitness band that keeps everything in place and helps you to workout.

Boobuddy was created to help women all over the world feel confident when they work out and provide additional support to the breasts which often suffer during workouts.

Whether you’re new to Boobuddy or you just want to learn more, we’ve discovered 6 benefits to working out with a Boobuddy and we assure you’ll never complete a run, yoga session or horse ride without one again.

How Boobuddy Works

Boobuddy is a unique, wearable fitness band that sits on your breasts during workouts.

With an adjustable strap, the band can be worn as an additional support to a sports bra or worn on its own.

Research has shown that your breasts can move as much during a jog as they do during a sprint and this causes the breasts to move in a figure of eight motion. This excessive movement is thought to be bad for your ‘breast kinetics’ which may result in eventual breast sagging.

The science behind it is quite simple, the connective tissues in the breasts are called Cooper’s ligaments and they ultimately help to maintain structural integrity, but they’re not that strong. The Cooper’s ligaments help to support your breast and maintain its position and shape, however when these ligaments are stretched it can give the appearance of sagging, contributing to the breast losing their natural contour and shape.

The Boobuddy helps to reduce the movement of the breasts which research has shown to be a factor in breast kinetics.

The Benefits of Boobuddy

Benefit 1: Reduces Damage to Cooper’s Ligaments

The Boobuddy helps to keep your breasts in place and reduces the effects working out has on your breast health.

By securing your breasts during excessive movement, this contributes to reducing the stretching of your Cooper’s ligament and therefore the overall sagging of the breast.

Benefit 2: Increases Confidence

Many women with large breasts fear working out because of the movement of the breasts during exercise. Sometimes sports bras aren’t enough to secure you so the Boobuddy can help by giving you extra support.

With a Boobuddy you don’t need to worry about bouncing breasts which many women have said is a huge confidence boost.

Benefit 3: Provides Comfort

Many larger breasted women will be able to relate to the pain and discomfort that comes with working out and thankfully Boobuddy helps to alleviate some of that pain.

The support of the band gives you the feeling of comfort during your workout so you can focus more on the actual exercise and not alter your workout for the sake of your breast pain.

Benefit 4: Looks Stylish

Sports bras are renowned for being less than attractive, and although that’s not their purpose, we’d all prefer a stylish alternative.

The Boobuddy comes in a range of popular colours such as hot pink, stylish black or fluorescent green, allowing you to match your Boobuddy band with the rest of your workout outfit. (If you struggle to pick one colour, don’t worry we do multi-packs to take the stress away).

Benefit 5: Easy to Store

We all know the struggles of getting a sports bra on and off, with Boobuddy you won’t have that problem. 

The band is easily worn with a Velcro fitting which means it can be put on and taken off without faffing about. This Velcro further lets you adjust the Boobuddy to fit comfortably on your breasts

Benefit 6: Fits Perfectly in your Gym Bag

Whether you work out at home, in a gym or at your local park, Boobuddy is the perfect accessory that can easily be carried in your sports bag, handbag or even just in your hand (and you won’t be embarrassed when it fall out of your bag in Tesco).

So there you have some of the best benefits of Boobuddy. You can learn more about our incredible fitness band and discover what other women have had to say about their Boobudy experience on our testimonials page.