Products

Well it's that time of year again, New Year's Resolution time.  We all get excited about a fresh start and losing the weight gained from the constant grazing of the holidays.  I for one have gained at least 3 pounds and that's if I weigh myself naked and first thing in the morning, so it's time to get serious.  What better than some fresh workout gear to get you excited about getting moving again?  I'm thinking a sale might be in order... all in agreeance?  Yes, I thought you'd agree.  So all you ladies looking to start the year off right, I've put everything on the site on sale, yes, EVERYTHING!  Just use the coupon code 2013 and it will take 15% off your entire order {including clearance items}, January 4th-7th!  We've got all the best brands; Enell, CW-X, Kangoo Jumps, Moving Comfort, Shock Absorber, Anita, A Big Attitude, Handful and more.  Happy New Year and happy shopping!

As a female owned company at Ladies Only Sports we not only hand pick every product we carry, test it {one of the perks of being in the biz} but we also pride ourselves on carrying product made by other female owned companies. You can always tell when something has been designed by a woman; it fits the curves, has give in the right places, and has function along with fashion. After all, women know the female body the best. Some of our best sellers are products from female owned manufacturers…
The Handful Bra was created by a fitness enthusiast, Jennifer Ferguson, in Portland, Oregon. Jennifer was an exercise instructor who had searched in vain for years for the perfect sports bra before she finally deciding to develop one herself. Turned out to be a good move, Handful is one of our more popular sports bras {and soon to be tanks} here at LOS. The Handful Bra is even an approved mastectomy bra, supporting breast cancer survivors during treatment and their return to good health and fitness. Check out our Handful selection at LOS.
Enell Sports Bras were developed by Renelle Braaten out of her own frustration as well. As a well-endowed {self described} woman and avid volleyball player she found the only way she could get support was by wearing two bras. Not comfortable or practical. With the help of her mother’s sewing abilities they came up with what is now the perfect bra for busty women. Oprah of course blew the top off the place when she declared the Enell Sports bra one of her favorite things. For busty gals there is no other like the Enell to hold the girls in place.

Smarty Pants, the underwear for active women, is a great alternative to thongs or panties. If you are tired of wedgies or the damage a thong can do to the lady bits then Smarty Pants is a perfect solution. Developed by Korrine Fitz, Smarty Pants is a bike short type design of a thin technical fabric that can be worn under any sports garment {or any garment for that matter}, it doesn’t ride up and eliminates the dreaded pantyline.
Skirt Sports, was started by triathlete Nicole DeBoom, who wanted to compete in something that looked feminine, but still had all the function of a sport short. With that Skirt Sports was born in 2003. Nicole was the first to bring skirts to the sports apparel industry. Now many athletes are donning her brilliant designs, many of which are outfitted with a compression type short beneath the skirt. Styles range from a sports dress, golf regulation length skirt, gym skirt, and even a skirt with capris beneath it. And did I mention they are out of Boulder? Everything to come out of Boulder is cool, right?

Katie Kozloff came up with the idea for Taffy while she was working as a personal trainer at a local Philadelphia gym. She noticed that the larger women that frequented the gym were wearing baggy t-shirts and unflattering sweatpants to work out. Katie did some research and found there are some options for workout clothing for plus-size women, but much of what was available was not stylish, flattering or attractive. Katie realized there was a need for stylish activewear for curvier women. As a result, Katie created Taffy, a new line of yoga and activewear designed specifically for women size 14 – 24. Katie’s goal is to help plus-size women feel confident about the way they look in activewear, so that whatever their goal, they will lead healthier, more active lives. All Taffy pieces are cut to fit and flatter curvier shapes, and are super comfortable, yet hold their shape.
Cynthia Tivers was a visionary for plus size women’s clothing. She realized that women that were larger than size 12 still wanted the support of fashionable, high quality, form fitting clothes to work out in. Cynthia realized that by making clothes that made plus size women comfortable and confident it would give them the emotional boost they needed to look good while they reached their health and fitness goals. And thus A Big Attitude, or ABA as we refer to them, was born. Now it's more than a dozen years later and A Big Attitude clothing has proven its value in the spotlight. A Big Attitude has been supplying apparel for the contestants on NBC’s hit show THE BIGGEST LOSER for years now, a show that helps people all over the country aspire for a healthier lifestyle. At LOS we carry a wide range of ABA products that can help you attain your fitness goal.
We know you have choices in where to buy your fitness wear, but know that when you shop at Ladies Only Sports we are a boutique that has truly tested and hand-picked each and every product on our website. And given the choice we always choose a small, or female owned companies over a mass manufacturer to supply us our exceptional goods. We do love a little bit of girl power!

It only took about 4,900 years for weightlifting to embrace women, but a much shorter time for glove makers to recognize that women need their own specific gear

Harbinger Women's Pro-Wash & Dry weightlifting gloves

PARKER, CO -- Weightlifting has been around for at least 5,000 years when Chinese soldiers were required to lift weights as part of their training, so the U.S. Olympic Committee tells us. And images of Greek athletes, muscles bulging as they competed in the original Olympic Games, are an indelible part of our western culture. This venerable competition survived the demise of the ancient world to rise like a phoenix and become an event at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

It was a mere 101 years later that women weightlifters would participate for the first time in the world championships for weightlifting. US women won eight medals competing in the world championships over the years. It wasn’t until 2000 at the Olympic Games in Sydney that women weightlifters could lift for Olympic gold, however. Tara Nott, lifting in the 48kg class, was the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in her event. Cheryl Haworth, lifting in the 75 and up kg class, won a bronze medal in the Australian Olympics, lifting 258.5.

While women weightlifters were waiting to get an Olympic event of their own, American women competed nationally in the Miss Olympia, a competition which began in 1980. Among the standards for competitors in the competition, Wikipedia tells us, was to be “fitness models for the average American woman.” Rachel McLish, the first winner of the competition, was very promotable and raised awareness of women’s weightlifting.

But just because these women were stronger than the average female, they were not spared the sex discrimination that women in every other sport suffered on their way to the top. The International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) made several changes to the rules for female body builders in the 1990s in an attempt to feminize the sport, according to Wikipedia. Judges were told to deduct points from women who were “too big,” which meant too muscular. In 2005, the IFBB created a rule that required women to reduce their muscle mass by 20 percent in order to enter the Ms. International competition. Meantime, men’s body building rules have not changed.

Women weightlifters have changed the sport now to be more about weight lifting and less about how they look. Originally, women competed in bikinis to show off their muscular development. Now they wear gym clothes, tee shirts and shorts and a good pair of sport shoes. As always, sport clothes and equipment makers recognized a good market when they saw it: Just as the sports bra is now available in every style and size for every activity, women weightlifting gloves have now become a staple with sports equipment purveyors.

Until weightlifting gloves came along, lifters used straps or wraps to protect their hands and some still do. Gloves, however, offer weightlifters several benefits, according Livestrong.com. Protection is the foremost benefit because lifters who workout many hours a week can develop painful blisters and rough calluses. In addition, bars that have seen a lot of use can flake into sharp fragments causing abrasions to the hand.

The second benefit is to the lifter’s grip which can be strengthened by the use of gloves. Gloves eliminate the sweaty grip that comes with a serious lifting workout. A good weightlifter’s glove can be easily washed and dried -- again, dealing with the sweat factor. And finally, just the act of putting on the gloves can build a lifter’s confidence as it becomes part of their pre-lifting ritual.

Gloves for the men weightlifters have been around for a while but they don’t work well for women. According to Livestrong.com, the glove must fit snugly; having a wrinkle in the palm of the glove while lifting 150 pounds is not an option. The solution, of course, was to create weightlifting gloves specifically made for women.

Women’s weightlifters’ gloves come in several fabrics and styles. Neoprene and leather gloves offer the best grip. Most gloves have the ends of the fingers cut off to allow for air circulation. Some gloves have an adjustable wrist band which lends additional support during lifting.

For a women’s weightlifting glove of your own, see Ladies Only Sports line of Harbinger weightlifters’ gloves for women. We offer four models: women’s flex fit, the training grip, pro wash & dry and the power glove, all at $25 or less. Check them out at http://www.ladiesonlysports.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=weightlifting+gloves&x=0&y=0.

Ladies Only Sports is the online source for active women, with a complete line of sports bras, workout tops and bottoms, workout gear and such accessories as jewelry, pom-poms, water bottles, heart rate monitors and pedometers. Call 877-567-5239 for complete details.

The sports garments are the result of Wacoal Sport Science’s  40 plus years of experience and research in the manufacture of performance apparel

CW-X Insulator Web Top

PARKER, CO -- The CW-X line of conditioning apparel gives every athlete what they want most: Additional support and strengthening with less fatigue and a quicker recovery. Japan’s Wacoal Corp. entered the sports performance apparel market in Japan in 1991. Since then, it brought it CW-X Conditioning Wear to the U.S. market through its subsidiary, Wacoal Sports Science Corporation, now headquartered in New York City.

Wacoal Corp. began manufacturing intimate apparel in Japan in 1946 under the name of a precursor corporation. With decades of experience of the human anatomy, complex fabrications and apparel design, the company was well situated to experiment with a line of apparel that would take sports clothing to a whole new level of athletic performance.

“For 40 years, scientists at Wacoal Human Science Research Center in Kyoto, Japan have studied kinesiology, the science of human movement,” the CW-X Web site says. The heart of the Kyoto study was the electromyographical measurement of the electrical pulse activity of the muscles (muscles firing into motion).  In that time, Wacoal tested over 35,000 people and analyzed injuries related with warm-up and cool-down periods associated with various sports. Their exhaustive study of joints and muscles over time has resulted in 50 patents worldwide. The study showed that unsupported or partly supported legs both show a frequency decrease during exercise which indicates fatigue. Legs of athletes supported by CW-X showed a negligible decrease in frequency.

A major component of the CW-X line is the Support Web which provides both muscle and joint support, according to company reports. The company has identified several secondary benefits, including increased stability and balance, greater efficiency of movement, better shock resistance in joints, decreased muscle oscillation, increased circulation and faster recovery. The bottom line for the athlete, according to company sources, is better endurance and less fatigue.

The CW-X line includes shorts, tights, tops, socks, sports bras and something called sleeves which are supports for the calf for athletes who prefer to exercise in shorts. Each garment is designed to provide specific benefits for a particular part of the athlete’s anatomy. In support socks, for example, the use of the Support Web support the calf and arch of the foot and stabilize the ankle, reducing fatigue and speeding recovery.

For warm weather especially, both CW-X shorts and tops contain mesh ventilation panels to let body heat escape and cool air in. Performance tops are designed with an exoskeletal support system that specifically targets the trapezius muscles and scapular bones of the upper back for better posture and more controlled arm movement. Shorts also contain a ventilator panel and are designed to support abs and lower back to strengthen the core during running, skiing or other activities.

CW-X also has a comprehensive line of sports bras featuring the firm’s Support Web technology, including the Ultra Support Bra, the Support Bra II, the XTempo, and the VersatX Support Bra.

Find all of the CW-X Conditioning Wear items from Ladies Only Sports at   http://www.ladiesonlysports.com/brands/cwx.html.

Ladies Only Sports is the online source for the active woman, with a complete line of sports bras, workout tops and bottoms, plus sizes, and related gear and accessories from leading brands in the business. Call 877-567-5239 for complete details.

When Oprah introduced the Enell Sports Bra on her wildly popular and now widely missed television show, there were many giggles and lighthearted moments as she talked about “taming the girls” when working out.

But, of course, breast bounce, particularly for the well-endowed woman like Oprah, is no laughing matter. All female athletes, but especially those women with larger breasts, understand all too well the discomfort that can, and often does occur when breasts bounce during running, horseback riding, tennis matches and other forms of high-activity workouts or sports. Strap chafing and sore shoulders from inadequate bra support are all-too-common complaints, and many of the so-called solutions – compression and/or a too-tight fit – are simply uncomfortable or, depending on breast size, unattainable.

Sports bras are now nearly ubiquitous in female athletic circles, but they were only introduced a little more than 30 years in the several years after the passage of the historic Title IX legislation that lead to much wider participation of women and girls in school-sponsored athletics.

Those early sports bras, however, never really addressed the breast-bounce issue for well-endowed women, and that led to an innovative development by a well-endowed Montana sports enthusiast.

Renelle Braaten, then a hairdresser who struggled to comfortably play her favorite games racquetball and volleyball, saw a gap in the new sports bra offerings that she felt were inadequate for the more well-endowed women like her. She and her mother, a talented seamstress, designed the initial Enell sports bra, and the pair conducted extensive testing in a sports biomedics lab to perfect the design. The then launched the Enell company and their patented products remain the gold standard for those women, like her, who weren’t being served by the sports bras on the market.

“I was frustrated by the lack of adequate sports bras on the market,” says Braaten, Founder and President of Enell Sports. “Forced to wear two bras, I would still experience aching shoulders and uncomfortable, unhealthy breast-bounce.  In search of answers, I went to the same place all women do -- my mother – and pretty soon we were making Enell Sports Bras for friends and fellow athletes.”

Enell Sports Bras are ideal for the woman with large breasts who wants to workout without all the "bounce." They are available in two models: The classic Enell SPORTS Bra is for wear during more high-impact sporting activities, like volleyball or aerobic dance classes, while the Enell LITE Bra joined the line in response to demand for a lighter sports bra for low- to medium-impact activities. Enell bras are dedicated to well-endowed women and each is available in sizes 32C through 52DD.

The classic version is made of 90% nylon and 10% Lycra Spandex, and features a patented design and construction that is a balance of compression and encapsulation perfect for high-impact activity. The Enell LITE Bra, while targeted at active women, is also designed to be a great all-day bra for the well-endowed woman. The LITE is made of 84% nylon, and 16% Spandex, with a super soft sueded microfiber lining made of 76% nylon and 24% Spandex. The high performance fabric in both models wicks moisture away from your body and dissipates body heat while giving you outstanding strength, color, and garment life.

“With the ENELL bra your breasts are completely secured for minimal bounce,” says Braaten. “This bra fits much tighter than any other bra you have tried and retains its support even after becoming wet with perspiration. With easy front hook and eye closure, outer clothing moves freely over the smooth nylon Lycra spandex fabric with no clinging. The bra also features wide shoulder straps, a higher neck line, plenty of arm freedom and no restriction of movement.”

Enell Sports bras are marketed through sports and specialty retailers, like Ladies Only Sports. Enell Sports Bra and Enell Lite Sports Bra are in stock for immediate shipment and always qualify for FREE SHIPPING (to the lower 48). For complete information visit our website at www.ladiesonlysports.com or us at 877-567-5239.

Now that you have figured out your size you’ll want to decide if you want compression or encapsulation.  It really depends on the activity and your cup size.

Throughout our site we try our best to state what type of activity each particular sports bra is good for.  Some are better for low-impact, yoga, or walking.  Others are designed for high impact, wide range of motion activities such as Kangoo Jumps, boot camp or running.

Compression is just as it sounds, keeps the girls tucked in by being tight.  This is usually a pullover the head style and is typically measured in small, medium, and large.  Works great for A & B cups.

Encapsulation separates and encapsulates each breast.  Goodbye uni-boob, a big plus in my book...  This is a great option for larger busted women, C-cup and up.  This style usually has front or back fasteners and often times a strap adjustment as well.

Once you’ve decided on the structure of support here’s a few more things to consider to make sure the bra is right for you…

Moisture wicking fabrics are always a plus; they will pull the moisture away from your body keeping you feeling a bit less soggy.  Sweating is good, in fact, it is the objective here, but it feels better when your bra is not soaking.

Generally speaking the less seams the better.  Most manufacturers have thought through this issue quite well.  To have support you have to have seams, so there will be seams.  But well thought out seams are what we are going for, ones that won’t chafe you or cause irritation.

The band and straps should be snug, but you should still be able to slide your finger in between the material and the skin.

Lastly, give the bra the jump test; make sure it really works for what activity level you need it to.

Okay, now whatcha waiting for?  Start shopping… LINK HERE TO BRA PAGE

Some women would rather go to the dentist than shop for a sports bra.  They rack it right up there with bathing suit shopping on the list of dreaded activities.  While I’ve heard that 70-80% of women wear the wrong size sports bra (I was one of them for awhile) I’m here to tell you that if done right, you can find a sports bra that suits you, your curves, and your activity level.

It is not rocket science, but it does require a tiny bit of math to figure out your proper cup size and band width.  Once I walked into Victoria’s Secret to find a bra and to my amazement the gal working on the floor looked me up and down and pronounced my size without a measuring tape in sight.  How she did this I have no idea, because it was not the number I had been familiar with.  However, she was right.  Almost every bra she gave me fit, to my total amazement.  I am going to chalk that up to years of experience and just be grateful that I strolled in on her shift.  But you too can find out your correct bra size with a soft measuring tape and a pencil and paper.

1. First, with good posture, and a typical everyday bra on (not a padded one or a sports bra) measure the fullest part of the bust.  Round up to the nearest inch. Let’s say you got a 37.5”, we are going to round that up to 38”and write that number down.

1. Next find your band size, this is the measurement at the base of the bra around your ribcage. Take this number and add 3 inches to it. If you end up with an odd number bump it up one to the next even number.  For example if you got a 30” measurement, add 3”, which gets you to 33” plus 1” to get it to an even number.  Your band size would be 34”, jot this number down.

1. Now to calculate the cup size. Subtract your band measurement from your bust measurement and with that difference use this chart to find your cup size.  So, if you were a 34” band size you will subtract 38-34=4” difference, which make you a D cup.

Please note that every manufacturer varies a bit in size, it is always a good idea to double check that manufacturers (especially Enell) size chart to be sure you are ordering correctly. Whatever your size, we’ve got a sports bra that will fit!

So, my sister turned me on to these things, and I cannot get enough of them, I LOVE them!  They are addictively fun! I find myself looking forward to working out, which to be honest is quite an oddity for me.  The more research I did, the more I found how good rebounding is for the body, the more I wanted to spread the word.  I have not been blessed with good joints, if I were to jog before (which was rarely) my knees and ankle would ache for sometimes days before I could feel normal again.  When I do the very same jog in the Kangoo Jumps® I have no pain in my joints whatsoever.  Initially I bought two pairs, one for me and one for whoever wanted to go “Kangoo-ing” with me.  I became very popular!  Everywhere I went people stared in amazement, gawked at my almost avatar height, and were just generally curious.  Everytime I offered up my spare pair and people gave them a go they wanted a pair. So, give the people what they want… they are now available at Ladies Only Sports  http://www.ladiesonlysports.com/gear/kangoo-jumps.html

Recently featured on ABC's Nighline!

Earthtec’s line of green outerwear is now available at Ladies Only Sports. This dynamic, eco-friendly line combines style and conscience to create beautiful, durable, and sustainable clothes. Go green and fashionable, the ultimate in form and function!

Environmentally-friendly outerwear

Every product from Earthtec is made from either recycled or renewable fabrics. They use eco-friendly textiles such as organic cotton and wool, textiles made from post-consumer recycled plastics like those that come from water bottles and recycled polyester, and hybrid fabrics that combine both organic and recycled fabrics to create warm, soft, and durable fabrics.

Earthtec’s textiles are designed with moisture control, wind and water resistance, comfort, and functionality features. Each Earthtec recycled PET garment keeps approximately 12 water bottles out of a landfill.

Ladies Only Sports can certainly get behind that. No more plastic bottles!

Environmentally-friendly manufacturing and business practices

Earthtec also employs streamlined models in their manufacturing process to cut down on their carbon footprint. Localized production keeps shipping and transport to a minimum, which helps to keep their costs down too. Ever-evolving, Earthtec stays on top of the latest technologies to continue to reduce their impact on the environment.

The garments in this high-quality line are not only eco-friendly, but beautifully designed and well-made. Details like recycled PET fleece lining for added warmth, flatlock stitching, and internal pockets make this product not only green and functional, but also top of the line in fashionable design. Soft fabrics, flattering cuts, and a variety of colors make this the ideal line for women who want to retain comfort and femininity while sporting versatile, functional sportswear.

A company with values

As a family-owned business, we at Ladies Only Sports believe in Earthtec’s eco-friendly and sustainably produced products. We like their values, and think that you will, too. Knowledgeable and experienced, their team has found the perfect way to blend sustainability, technical gear, comfort, and fashion. We think they’re putting out some of the best products in the market, and are proud to bring them to you.

A full line of sports apparel

We choose to carry several pieces of Earthtec apparel in our store. Browse now to find the right style, fabric, and color for you.

The Shock Absorber sports bra was voted  "Best Sports Bra of 2010" by Womens' Fitness Magazine!  This bra is a scientifically-designed sports bra, is now available for purchase online at Ladies Only Sports. It will keep your girls locked and loaded for the duration of your workout!

This bra is made for both comfort and functionality. We all exercise differently and every activity puts different strains on the body. For example, yoga requires different physical movements and strains on your body than does jogging or racket ball. Proper support from a sports bra for every level of activity is necessary as it can maintain the structure of the tissues in your breasts from stretching beyond repair.

The Shock Absorber Sports Bra is unlike others in that it was created to fit any woman of any size and support her in any level of activity. It’s designed with padded straps, high performance fabrics, and wireless cups. Its high-performance fabrics function to keep you cool when your body temperature is rising during a workout. There are three factors taken into consideration for each bra’s form—cup size, back size, and activity level.

The creators of this sports bra aim to achieve ultimate support for each woman in their individual sport or activity. With this goal in mind, they have studied the movements of the breasts and worked with lingerie experts to adjust the support of the Shock Absorber Sports Bra accordingly.

The results of the scientific studies showed that wearing the bra reduced bounce up to 74%, which is almost twice that of a normal bra. The Shock Absorber Sports Bra is great for ladies of many shapes and sizes.

Use coupon code WAHOO to save $6.90 on this bra!