While it’s true that it’s called “yoga practice” to imply you're not meant to work towards mastery, I’m a competitive person, so I’ll try anything to hone my asana. I’ve swapped out my yoga mats, tried new yoga apps and learned how to use yoga blocks. But no single product has made as much of a difference as Forme’s sports bra with posture-correcting technology.
Forme is an athletic apparel company with FDA-registered products in the spine brace category — including the $168 Power Bra I’ve been testing — which features tension fabric technology designed to support good posture. When I’m wearing the sports bra, it feels like it’s subtly pulling my shoulders down and back.
If you do yoga with any regularity, you probably know reminders to relax your shoulders could come from the person leading the practice multiple times in a class. Whether it’s a simple mountain pose or a sustainable downward dog, proper spinal alignment makes moving through a vinyasa more relaxing, effective, and graceful.
A combination of internalized stress and hours spent hunched over a laptop for work created a barrier for me fully embracing the benefits of my yoga practice. While class instruction certainly helps, my shoulders still naturally manage to tense up and creep closer towards my ears as I move. Ironically, lessening the shoulder pain this causes is one of the reasons I started doing yoga regularly.
I do usually leave a yoga practice standing up straighter, but when it comes to moving with more confidence and strength during the class, the Power Bra has made a world of difference. The taut materials lining my shoulders creates a bit of resistance when my shoulders try to sneak upward, while the bra’s overall structure keeps everything secure.
Forme Power Bra definitely qualifies as a high-support sports bra — the straps are wider than any other stand alone sports bra I’ve worn, comfortably distributing the weight of my chest while still looking fashionable with faux cap-sleeve. I prefer black and white, since it matches most of my gym leggings, but there’s an ample color selection of neutral hues I could see myself wearing, too.
Over a long-term period, I’ve found my reinforced back and shoulder muscles also improved my balance. I used to struggle with a one-legged warrior, but after wearing the Power Bra for a few months (and regularly practicing yoga exercises to build a strong core, of course) I can hold the pose with a leg extended out long and arms outstretched past my head. Now, when I wear a different sports bra, I find I struggle to balance with as much conviction.
That said, do I think that you need to go spend $170 for a new sports bra? If you don’t naturally struggle with posture, I think the Forme Power Bra might be overkill. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautifully crafted garment with impressive wearable technology, but not a "must" for every-day, casual use. However, having one for a competitive sport or fitness mission (like getting better at yoga, for example) could help you overcome any persistent posture challenges you might face.
In the meantime, check out our favorite exercises that strengthen your back and core muscles to build posture withouts weights.
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