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Purchase Enell Sports Bra from Bare Necessities

I’m a rather large-busted women. Not as large as some, but still much larger than off-the-shelf bras were able to support. I tried many different types, but frequently found I needed to wear two sports bras at the same time. And even then, the bras didn’t provide as much support as I needed. In frustration, I turned to the Internet, figuring there had to be something better out there.

There is. As I searched, I found one brand name came up over and over: Enell. Finally, I broke down and ordered one of their full-support sports bras. The only regret I have is that I didn’t order it sooner. The product promises ‘no bounce’ — and they’re not exaggerating. When Enell says ‘no-bounce’, it means no bounce. None. Nada. Zip. And it does it without an underwire or extra padding.

Out of the package, the ‘bra’ looks more like a vest or un-boned corset. It looks huge. Half-way up fasting it, though, I worried that it might be too small. I went and looked at the booklet that comes with it (yes, this bra actually comes with instructions) and read “When you try on an ENELL Bra for the first time …. it may seem too small at first… “. I finished putting it on. All done up, it felt tight, but not uncomfortable.

I ran through my poomse and some kicks and punches…it stayed put. It didn’t slide around and, more importantly, I didn’t slide around in it. The longer I wore it, the more comfortable it got (when was the last time you could say that about a bra?). I’ve now worn it for forms, sparring, self-defense…every aspect of taekwondo I can put it through. Additionally, it’s structured so the support comes from around the torso, not just from shoulder straps. Which means no aching shoulders or back. It’s also very difficult to slouch while wearing it; the construction is designed to promote proper back posture.

I’ve only got a couple of minor complaints:

1) As you can see above, it definitely looks like an undergarment. I don’t feel comfortable stripping down to it to lift weights or run a couple of laps, the way I could with other exercise tops. It does, however, come in black, which may change that. It’s full coverage, though, does mean that if you bend way over or your gi comes untied, no one’s going to see a thing they shouldn’t.

2) The cost. With shipping included, it came to just a hair under $75. While it’s worth every penny, and then some, the cost can put it out of reach for someone with a limited budget. As much as I’d like to, I’m not going to be able to rush out and buy a second one anytime in the near future.  Don’t get me wrong, I think the price is more than fair for the workmanship and quality; it’s just difficult for some of us to come up with that chunk of change after school dues, uniform and sparring equipment costs, tournament and belt-promotion fees … you get the picture.

On the whole though, I cannot recommend this bra more. If you can find a way to trim your budget and squirrel away the cost, I think you’ll be happy you did. Enell also makes a ‘lite’ version of their bra for low-impact sports or everyday casual wear. You can purchase Enell by clicking on the photo in this post.

Other product reviews:

• Original Enell Sports Bra Review
• The Self-Defense Deck
• Training Women in the Martial Arts

Note — this is an updated version of one of my earliest posts: Balance. I wasn’t really happy with the way that post came out and I’ve learned so much about blogging in the last six months, I thought I’d take another crack at it.

What is balance?

The dictionary defines ‘balance’ as:

bal.ance n. 1. a weighing apparatus with two scales or pans hanging from a crossbar. 2. the regulating apparatus of a clock. 3. an even distribution of weight or amount, a steady position or state. 4. the difference between credits and debits. 5. money remaining after payment of a debt. v. 1. consider by comparing. 2. to be or put or keep (a thing) in a state of balance. 3. to compare the debits and credits of (an account) in a state of balance and make the entry needed to equalize these, to have these equal.
– The Oxford American Dictionary

What does ‘balance’ mean to you? It means several different things to me. There’s physical balance, keeping our weight even, and emotional balance, noting our emotions without letting them overwhelm us. Each affects the other in amazing ways. I find that when I’m emotionally balanced, my physical balance improves. Conversely, as I work on my physical balance, my emotional balance improves, as well.

The “too busy” trap

Unfortunately, I’m not always (dare is say even “frequently”?) balanced. When I get busy or life becomes difficult for one reason or another, I tend to stop doing the very things that would help me through these difficulties and keep me balanced. “I’m just too busy — I can’t fit it into my schedule” or, more frequently when I’m really stressed, “It’s not on my [to do] list.” And that’s when all the areas of my life start to unravel.

That’s when I have to force myself to make time for balance. I mean, I know that if take the 5-15 minutes each day to meditate, draw, or do poomse, I’ll be better able to deal with the hard parts. I know I wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed by them. Yet, more often than not, I find myself falling into the “too busy” trap. So I end up having to take an entire day out of a week instead of the 2 or so hours I would’ve needed if I had actually taken care of myself. What can you do?

Getting out without gnawing off your leg

For me, I have to find ways to force myself to take the time. My biggest self-care item is martial arts. I know that once I get to the dojang, I’ll feel better and be glad I went. Sometimes getting there is a challenge, though, especially on days where Dynamo’s at his dad’s; it’s so much easier to get motivated to go when you’ve got a child bouncing off the walls from too much pent-up energy.

Plus, just seeing someone else out on the mats makes me chomp at the bit to get out there myself. Recently I’ve been getting martial arts DVDs from Netflix. They’re great inspiration for me. The other motivator is my dojang tution. when I see the bill every month, I think “Well, since I’m paying for it, I should get my money’s worth.” Plus, by paying for something, I feel more obligated to follow through. My brain tells me that not only is the paid for activity okay, but that it’s actually required. It’s a way I get around the guilt feelings — the ‘guilties’ — that inevitably arise when I try to take downtime.

Overcoming the ‘guilties’

And that’s the core of the matter: guilt. I know I need the other activities (besides tae kwon do) that help me stay balanced: yoga, drawing, painting, t’ai chi and others. Yet, I still feel guilty for taking the time away from the mountain of work and the pile of “must do”s. Which is, of course, exactly when I need to do it the most.

Part of the guilt comes from the conditioning I received as a woman in our culture. Women are taught to take care of others first and only then, if there’s any time left over, we can tend to ourselves. Of course, there’s never any time left over. Kids and pets will always need our attention and care, housework is never completely done (by it’s very nature), and our SOs deserve our time and attention. It’s so easy to put these other needs first in our lives.

So I’m asking for advice. What do you do to keep yourself balanced and how do you overcome the guilties? How do you motivate yourself when you don’t think you can justify the time, expense, or what-not of your balancing activities?

I skipped my bellydance lesson last Thursday because of pain and I should probably have skipped tae kwon do on Saturday, but I didn’t. As it was, I had to drop out half-way through.  The dojang’s closed this coming weekend for 4th of July and I’m without a car to get there during the week. So I’m hoping that by the time I get back in two weeks, I’ll be over this.

That’s the main problem with flares — I never know how long they’re going to stick around. Sometimes they last only a few hours, other times, a few weeks. The longest flare I’ve ever experienced lasted almost four months. I don’t ever want to go through that again.

One of the most difficult things I have to deal with during flares is, of course, pain management. After almost 20 years with this condition, I’ve learned a few coping mechanisms. Unfortunately, none of them all work the same all the time, every time. Sometimes exercise helps alleviate it, sometimes it makes it worse and it’s often hard to tell which way its going to go until I actually try. Which wouldn’t be all that bad, except trying when I should be resting can prolong the flare. So, it’s always a kind of craps shoot. That being said, here’s a list of 10 things I do to manage my pain levels

1. Rest. The biggie and the one I often have the most trouble implementing. A thousand and one things always seem to need doing. Ideally, I should sleep when I need to and keep activity to a minimum, but I almost never do. This is one of those “do as I say, not as I do” matters. Also, work can interfere with rest. You may have the best boss in the world, one who’s more than willing to give you a couple of days off to rest but if the pain goes on for a couple of months, you just have to get up and get moving, no matter how  much it hurts.
2. Yoga. One of the best activities for me when I hurt. During a flare, keeping moving (gently) is even more important so the muscles don’t shorten and I can retain my flexibility. It’s important for me to not compare myself from day to day; I have to accept the fact that one day I’ll be able to bend over and touch the floor and the next I may barely be able to reach my knees.
3. T’ai Chi. Similar to my reasons for yoga, but eliminating any ki blocks also seems to help alleviate, or at least mitigate, my pain levels.
4. Meditation. Again, helps unblock ki. Also, it doesn’t help to actually lower my pain level, but it does make it easier to deal with. Often I meditate with a mantra during flares. There are two main mantras I use for pain management: “This will pass” and “Pain is resistance.” The last is frequently the more effective, since it helps me relax cramped muscles, which can help lower my pain threshold.
5. Ask for help. May seem obvious, but it’s actually one of the steps I find the most difficult and it directly relates to Step 1, above. One of the questions I have to ask myself repeatedly is “Do I really need to do this task?”
6. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. I have to keep reminding myself to cut my “to do” list down to the absolute essentials.
7. Eat properly. More fruits and veggie, less carbs (especially wheat), less red meat can sometimes help. On the other hand, sometimes I really crave red meat; I’ve found that by giving in (at least a little) to cravings, I may not lower my pain level, but I can make it through the hard parts a little easier. Deprivation may be good for the soul, but when you’re in pain, even the smallest discomforts get magnified.
8. Long, hot baths. And I do mean long — two hours isn’t unusual for me when I’m in pain. A Jacuzzi is even better, when I can get it.
9. Sleep with an electric blanket. When I’m flaring, I often have trouble maintaining my body temperature, so I get cold, even in the summer. I’ve found that an electric blanket can work similarly to an hot bath, without the fear of falling asleep and drowning.
10. Swim in a warm-water pool. The YMCA frequently has a warm-water (warmer than body temperature) pool for hydrotherapy. Usually, I have to get a note from my doctor to use it, but it’s well-worth the effort.

Sometimes, though, I still have to look to the medicine cabinet to find enough relief. I wait until all other options have failed before I take a pain pill, but sometimes — like this last week — I just have to do it. I fully appreciate the North Carolina’s “Patient’s Rights”, particularly the part where it says “You have the right to be free from pain”.

Update: I took first place in forms at the NC State Games on June 20th. There were only two of us in our age group and belt rank — I was hoping for more so I could see where I might not stack up to someone close to my own rank level. Still, it was exciting!

I was chronically (and often severely) underweight.

My doctor had to put me on a 3000 calories a day diet. I needed to eat constantly and everything I ate had to have something “extra”. I couldn’t eat just a salad — it had to have bacon, cheese, dressing — anything I could add to provide healthy calories. And because my body was burning the calories so fast, they all had to have nutritional value. I would do really well on my diet for a few months, bring my weight to over 100lbs, then get tired of eating or have something upset me and I’d stop. I’d start skipping meals again (something I still struggle with a little) and the next thing I knew, I’d be back down around 85-90lbs. Even at 5′3″, that was way too low.

Looking back now, I can see several contributing factors. My activity level definitely topped the list. At the time I had no car and lived in an area where most things were within walking distance; those that weren’t were easily reached by public transportation. I walked a mile to work every morning and a mile home in the evening. Errands usually added another mile or two (or three) daily. I was the assistant manager of an independent book store, a job that kept me on my feet all day. Finally add to that an hour-long class at the dojang three to four days a week, plus yoga and weightlifting. It’s no wonder I couldn’t keep weight on.

But the biggest factor was my body image. No matter how thin I got, I felt fat. If I had even a small amount of body fat, I felt like a blimp. In the years since then, I’ve worked hard on correcting my body image, to try and see myself as I really am and not with the 20lbs or so more my brain adds whenever I look in the mirror. I still struggle with it, but I feel like I’m finally winning. Most days.

Martial arts have certainly helped me through this. It gives me a weight goal to focus on. I can change the crux of my self-talk from “you’ve got too much body fat” to “I have to stay at this weight, fat or not, or I’ll drop out of my weight class.” Yeah, I could qualify for the lower weight class, but my point is to get around my negative image, rather than to maintain a specific weight. And being fit makes me feel better about myself, no matter what the scale says.

Health-Related Posts

• 10 Steps to No Drug Pain Management
• Pain, Chronic Illness and the Martial Arts

Thanks to Michele of Just a Thought for letting us know about this

Do you remember the Presidential Physical Fitness awards? I always hated those days in PE. I was never a great athlete growing up; I couldn’t climb the rope, my arms always wore out in the first few seconds of the chin-up, and when it came to running … let’s just say in a race, the tortoise would have nothing to fear from me. The one thing I’ve always been able to do is walk. I can walk for miles. Of course, they never counted that.

That’s changed. Now, kids can get points for being active in any way, including household chores and playground games. Kids keep track of how long they spend doing an activity each day. For kids under 18, the challenge is 60 minutes a day, five days a week for six weeks from 01 May to 24 July, 2009. Dynamo was all fired up to go, until I told him it meant he needed to carry through with this even on the days he spends with his dad. Suddenly, it wasn’t so exciting anymore.

Did you know they have an adult program, too? For adults (over 18), the challenge is 30 minutes at day, five days a week for six weeks. I’ve signed up and I’m planning on signing Dynamo up, too. He needs to do more than just sit at the computer all day. I’ll be tracking my progress here; it’ll help keep me honest and get me to actually move on the days I’m not at the dojang, so that I’m not sitting in front of the computer all day, either.

If you want to join me, you can get more information at The President’s Challenge announcement page. For more information about the program in general, visit their homepage.

Note: I am not affiliated with Enell in any way, except as a very satisfied customer. I am in the process of setting up an affiliate program with an Enell on-line retailer; I want everyone to have access to this wonderful product.

Okay, this isn’t the Self-Control post I promised last time. I’m preempting the previously scheduled entry for this review. Self-Control will be here next post, I promise

I’m not the largest-busted woman in the world, but a D-sized cup creates the problem of needing as much support as I can get and not being able to easily find a bra that provides the support. I tried many different types, but I still needed to wear two sports bras at the same time. Even then, the bras didn’t provide as much support as I needed. In frustration, I turned to the Internet, figuring there had to be something better out there.

There is. As I searched, I found one brand name came up over and over: Enell. Finally, I broke down and ordered one of their full-support sports bras. The only regret I have is that I didn’t order it sooner. The product promises ‘no bounce’ — and they’re not exaggerating. When Enell says ‘no-bounce’, it means no bounce. None. Nada. Zip. And it does it without an underwire or extra padding.

Out of the package, the ‘bra’ looks more like a vest or un-boned corset. It looks huge. Half-way up fasting it, though, I worried that it might be too small. I went and looked at the booklet that comes with it (yes, this bra actually comes with instructions) and read “When you try on an ENELL Bra for the first time …. it may seem too small at first… “. I finished putting it on. All done up, it felt tight, but not uncomfortable.

The strange thoughts that go through your head at odd times. My first thought after putting it on was “Hey, I can see my toes!”. I usually have the “shelf” of flesh between me and the ground. I ran through my poomse and some kicks and punches…it stayed put. It didn’t slide around and, more importantly, I didn’t slide around. The longer I wore it, the more comfortable it got (when was the last time you could say that about a bra?). I’ve now worn it for forms, sparring, self-defense…every aspect of taekwondo I can put it through. Additionally, it’s structured so the support comes from around the torso, not just from shoulder straps. Which means no aching shoulders or back. It’s also very difficult to slouch while wearing it; the construction is designed to promote proper back posture.

I’ve only got a couple of small complaints. One: there’s no way a tank top is going to cover it — it’s just too big. My do-boke top covers it fine, but take the top off and you can definitely tell it’s an undergarment. I don’t feel comfortable stripping down to it to lift weights or run a couple of laps, the way I could with other exercise tops. The upside of this is, though, is that if you bend way over or your gi comes untied (which did happen to me), no one’s going to see a thing they shouldn’t.

Two: the cost. With shipping included, it came to just a hair under $75. While it’s worth every penny, the cost can put it out of reach for someone with a limited budget. As much as I’d like to, I’m not going to be able to rush out and buy a second one anytime in the near future. (Though I haven’t earmarked my tax refund for anything yet. Hmmm …). Enell also makes a ‘lite’ version of their bra, which is supposed to be great for every day wear but costs $13 more than their regular sport bra. Don’t get me wrong, I think the price is more than fair for the workmanship and product design; it’s just difficult for some of us to come up with that chunk of change after school dues, uniform and sparring equipment costs, tournament and belt-promotion fees … you get the picture.

On the whole though, I cannot recommend this bra more. If you can find a way to trim your budget and squirrel away the cost, I think you’ll be happy you did.

Next post: Self-Control. I promise .

Other Product Reviews

• The Self-Defense Deck
• Training Women in the Martial Arts

This post is my personal experience of being a martial artist with a chronic illness. I am not a doctor and nothing in this post should be taken as medical advice.

Let’s face it – sometimes martial arts hurt. Injuries happen, just like they do in any other sport. I once broke my left big toe during a belt test, though I didn’t realize it at the time it happened. I finished the test, including breaking a board with a left-foot front snap kick. In fact, I didn’t notice I’d really be hurt until the adrenaline from the test left me and walking became sheer agony.

But that’s not the kind of pain I’m referring to here. As a martial artist with Sjogren’s Syndrome, I’m intimately familiar with another kind of pain – the deep down, fatiguing pain that neither rest, sleep, nor time can relieve. The variable kind of pain where you feel fine one day, then bedridden and snapping your family’s heads off the next. Sometimes I get a couple of days warning of fatigue and inability to focus; other times, it comes on without warning – swiftly and silently. Sometimes exercise relieves it, sometimes it aggravates it, but most of the time it doesn’t affect my pain level at all.

This kind of pain caused me to stop training right after I earned my blue belt my first time through taekwondo. The pain and fatigue left me unable to train for almost thirteen years. Even performing a simple snap kick could put me flat on my back with pain the next day. During those years – some of the darkest of my life – I missed martial arts so much that even just walking by a school broke my heart. I kept trying to figure out something I could do, some form I could study within the confines of my diminished ability. Frequently during that time, I needed a cane to walk from my living room to my kitchen. I looked into t’ai chi and chi gong, but financial (it costs a lot to care for a chronic illness) and logistics kept me from following through. The pain and the medications I had to take to manage it meant I was unfit to drive, so I would’ve been dependent on others to get to and from class.

Yet, through it all, I never stopped thinking of myself as a martial artist.

In 2006, I left an emotionally abusive and controlling marriage. Almost immediately, my health began to improve. By May of 2008, my symptons had gone into remission and I returned to taekwondo with my son. I felt like a part of myself was returned me. During those long years, I’d known how much I’d missed the martial arts. What I didn’t realize until after I returned to the dojang, was how much being a martial artist was central to my core being. It’s not just something I do – it’s something I am. It’s part of what makes me, me. Last May, I nearly cried with joy the first time I put my uniform on again. It didn’t matter that the belt I tied around my waist was white, not blue.

I know the training could still hurt me. I know I’m taking a risk. But, for me, the risk is worth the benefit. For others, it may not be. I believe the decision to train with an chronic illness is highly individual, based on the severity of their pain levels, energy levels, etc. It’s a decision that needs to be made with the help of your doctor. I had to admit my choice to train in taekwondo didn’t thrill one of my rheumatologists. As a practitioner of aikido himself, he said “I’m a martial artist too, so I know telling you to stop won’t do any good. But did you have to pick the form that’s the hardest on your joints?” His advice was that when I reached the point where I still hurt two hours after a training session, it was time to switch to a “softer” form, like t’ai chi. If you can find a doctor who’s also a martial artist, I recommend choosing him/her. It’s well worth the effort. For one thing, you’ll probably never have to answer the “why” question: “Why in the world would you want to do that to your body!?”

These days, even the physical limitations I used to have wouldn’t necessarily have to keep me away from the dojang. Some schools — like White Tiger — have special, modified classes for people with disabilities. Which gives me comfort that if I ever do have trouble again, I won’t have to quit this time.