Why We Ditched Our Shirts and Joined the #SportsBraSquad

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For too many women, working out in a sports bra is something they doubt they'll ever be comfortable enough to do.

It’s scary. Intimidating. And revealing.

We spend years being sold this perception that health and strength have one specific look and if you don't have that one body type, then we’re sold this idea that not only do we need to lose weight, but we have no business working out in our sports bras. It’s bullshit. It’s damaging. And it’s a narrative the #SportsBraSquad is working to end.

The #SportsBraSquad is a movement dedicated to redefining what strength looks like and this year, on July 13th, women around the world are coming together for Global #SportsBraSquad day.

One of the scariest parts about joining the #SportsBraSquad is opening yourself up to criticism. Our shirts can feel like armor. A protective shield against the insults put-downs, and comments about our bodies that people wrongly feel compelled to share. Simply put, a shirt can feel like a protective barrier. But this year, our hope is that women around the world will take the attention off of what other people think about your body and instead, focus on the things we say to ourselves.

The truth is, we can’t control the comments that are made by friends, family members, or total and complete strangers. But we can control what we say to ourselves.

Do you ever look in the mirror or see a photo of yourself and feel insecure? Do you ever see your body and wish you could make it smaller, flatter, or more “toned”? Do you ever feel defeated because you don’t have the one body type the weight loss, health, and fitness industries have worked tirelessly to convince you is the one you should aspire for?

What do you say to yourself when you see your body? THAT is the question we want you to ask yourselves.

Meet Amanda, Meg, Jen, and Desiree. Four badass women who are sharing not only why they ditched their shirts along with their insecurities to join the #SportsBraSquad, but how joining the movement changed the way they see themselves.

Are you ready to show the world what strength looks like? Join us July 13th for Global #SportsBraSquad day!

JOIN AN OFFICIAL #SPORTSBRASQUAD MEETUP

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INTERNATIONAL MEETUPS

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Want to host an official #SportsBraSquad meetup?

Kelly Roberts

Head coach and creator of the Badass Lady Gang, Kelly Roberts’ pre-BALG fitness routine consisted mostly of struggling through the elliptical and trying to shrink her body. It wasn’t until hitting post-college life, poised with a theatre degree, student loans, and the onset of panic, that she found running. Running forced Kelly to ditch perfectionism and stomp out fear of failure. Viral selfies from the nyc half marathon struck a chord with women who could relate to the struggle, and soon the women’s running community Badass Lady Gang was born.

BALG is about enjoying life with a side of running. Kelly’s philosophy measures success by confidence gained, not pounds lost. If you aren’t having fun, it’s time to pivot. Kelly is an RRCA certified coach and has completed Dr. Stacy Sims ‘Women Are Not Small Men’ certification course helping coaches better serve their female athletes. Over the years Kelly has coached thousands of women from brand new runners to those chasing Boston marathon qualifying times, appeared on the cover of Women’s Running Magazine, joined Nike at the Women’s World Cup, and created a worldwide body image empowerment movement called the Sports Bra Squad. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

http://BadassLadyGang.com
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