Intelliskin: Can a Bra Really Help Give You Better Posture?
Not a day goes by that I don’t hear the following spill out of my boyfriend’s mouth: “Put your shoulder blades back, Tish!” I’m the queen of bad posture. I can’t help myself. For years I was the awkward, tall, brown girl. I stuck out like a sore thumb, so I’d hunch over to blend in with the little ones standing beside me. Years later, I’m paying the boyfriend-nagging penalty price of that lame assimilation attempt.
Because of my fears that one day I’ll be rockin’ a hunchback and have to move to Notre Dame, I was eager and desperate to try the IntelliSkin Empower Posturecue Sports Bra. The bra boasts that it can improve your posture and help you stand taller the minute you put it on. So I decided to pack it for my afternoon run and see how it could hold up…or rather hold me up.
I put the bra on and immediately felt like boo-boo. I don’t know what it is about me and bras, but lots of them are cruel to me. I have a crazy-long upper body with no curves. I’m flat as board but long, so I have to be careful with sizing. Unfortunately, the medium I tried was too tight. I felt tricked since the bra also boasts that its made with the highest-quality, double-lined, four-way stretch fabric (minimizes the need to over-compress), but I was compressed and then some. My armpit chub (we all have it!) started coming out of the sides screaming for mercy (or space)—and that, my friends, does not make a confident Tishy who wants to stand tall at all.
I came out of the bedroom feeling sad and body conscious. Then the fella saw me and told me to put my shoulders back. Eureka! When I did that, the bra let up on me, and I actually felt like I could breathe a little. That’s how the bra kept my posture nice and straight through my entire run. If you don’t straighten up, you just begin to feel like a sausage. So basically, I was bullied into pulling my shoulders back.
If you don’t mind a little wardrobe tough-love, then this bra may just be the answer to all of your slouching prayers. (If you’re a runner who complains of shoulder aches after a long run, then this is definitely the bra for you!) Having $95 to purchase the bra is another important factor. My advice before purchasing something like this is to make sure you try the darn thing on—especially if you suffer from Gumby-like longness like me. And an FBG tip to think about: Products with corrective intentions can impede your natural movement, so listen to your body about what feels best.
Are you a fellow slumper? What do you do in order to stand taller? Would you consider a bra that perks up your posture? —Tish
Comments
I’d consider it if it cost less. A lot less.
I have noticed a HUGE difference in my posture since I have begun instructing Yoga. Also, CrossFit is great in making you pay attention to your allignment.
I highly recommend the bra as I own one. Olive it to spin because it helps my posture and strengths my back. However, I would use a different bra for boxing since the straps are wider and impede a good hook.
How about not using racist language in a post . .
Tish, did you know that a lot of bad posture actually comes from tight hip flexors and quads? If you are a runner then you very likely have tight quads. I had terrible posture until I started doing yoga regularly- it is now much improved. My Crossfit coach told me I had good posture recently and it was the best compliment I’ve had in a long time.
In addition to tight quads and hips, rolled shoulders can also be due to poor muscle tone in your rhomboids- which are pretty hard to activate. They are the muscles responsible for rotating your shoulder blades back and down- keeping your shoulders back. Doing some work on your rhomboids will probably also assist you in improving your posture.
Does anyone know if there is a place where I can try one on? I fall right between sizes. Also, once I put my shoulders back does the bra do the work to keep them there or do I have to be conscious to continuously correct my posture? Thx.
Great testimonial of your first experience with IntelliSkin gear. Hopefully your boyfriend isn’t nagging you about your shoulders anymore!
If you or your readers want IntelliSkin gear, you can win it for free over at http://www.freebutton.com
FreeButton is the premier instant win site where users can win without having to give their email or personal info.
Right now FreeButton is partnering with IntelliSkin to give away free gear.
I tried this because I have posture issues from a car accident/swimming. I was really hoping it would solve my problems and feel like a miracle when I put it on–its worth the money if you have the issues type of thing.
But, it wasn’t the miracle for me. I didn’t think it made a bit of difference, which was a huge bummer. But, don’t let my opinion stop you, it may work for you. It just didn’t work for me
It’d be nice if your size chart would include bustier sizes, especially since we probably need this product more ythan most
Do you feel like it has helped your posture overall, or just when you are wearing it? Do you go back to your normal slouched posture when you are not wearing the bra?
Comments are closed.