Binding While Working Out Or During Airplane Travel

[tomcat1981]

I had a few questions about binding.  As the title states, I am perplexed about how to bind while working out or airplane travel.  I am failrly new to "real" binders, as I just recieved 3 regular binders and 2 swim binders in the mail from Underworks a couple of days ago.  I have heard negative things about binding while working out or during

Comments

Binding

[drummerstud32]

I used to bind while working out and had no problem. The swim binders seem like a good idea. Due to them beng new, they might be tight restrictive and uncomfortable while working out. Layering is the key especially if you are smaller up top. The important thing is to change out of it as soon as you are done working out because it could cause a rash. You also have to evaluate how comfortable you feel about working out without binding.

As far as travel. I travelled while binding and even asked for a pat down. For some odd reason I was afraid the new detectors would pick up on something. I was surprised to find the pat down not to be too invasive. If you don't want to risk it then wear an a-line over your binder and two t-shirts. The key is layering especially if you are smaller up top and choose not to wear a binder. At the end of the day, your binder futs like tight clothing qnd most people aren't aware of what's under eath even when they are patting you down. I hope that helps!

Re: Binding

[tomcat1981]

It's good to know that a binder won't be detected in a pat down. I think even it was, why would they care if you wanted to flatten your man boobs? I'm not on T yet, so I can only pass so much anyway. Layers seem like a good idea, but can get really hot and probably just as uncomfortable as just wearing a binder, at least for me.

[ilanthefirst]

Go with whatever makes you most comfortable. For me, binding for long periods without moving (planes and buses mostly) would cause fluid to collect in my lungs, so I had to wear worn out binders or sportsters that weren't as tight, and no one could really tell the difference because I was sitting in a baggy sweatshirt the whole time. Exercise was harder because I have asthma. I basically gave up on passing while exercising and then gave up on exercise in the name of passing, because binding and exercise didn't mix well for me. But some folks bind while exercising and have no problems. You just have to experiment to find what works for you.

[tomcat1981]

I can breathe pretty well in both my binders and my swim binder. I may opt for a swim pass and do water aerobics or whatever instead of regular working out instead of joining a regular gym, at least then I know my swim binder was going to do what it was cut out to do!

[sparkythegeek]

Personally, I think I'd be physically uncomfortable to bind and workout. Mine shifts some as I move, so I don't think I could do anything upper body without it shifting too much. I usually just put mine on after I work out. I use the female locker room anyway because I'm nowhere near passing, not being on T.

[tomcat1981]

My third day in wearing a real binder, I am beginning to realize that you are right on the point of it being physically uncomfortable to work out. I am not on T either, so I pass only about half the time. I'm unsure whether I want to use a locker room at all because I am not passing 100% of the time. Which could make things difficult. I think there may be a unisex restroom at the pool I was going to get the pass to, I would probably opt for changing in there if there was enough room. Having anxiety just thinking about changing in public. Gives me the heebie-jeebies!

[sparkythegeek]

Yeah, I'm lucky that the campus gym is almost empty when my friend and I are there. And, she doesn't care that I'm using the same locker room because she understands the bind (no pun intended) that I'm in. :p

[rene]

I don't really work out (my job is physically demanding enough), but as far as air travel goes I haven't had any issues while binding. However, the full body scanners may pick up binders, packers, etc as 'anomalies'; it happened to my partner once at Boston-Logan. An agent just came over, gave a quick body sweep, asked a few annoying gender-related questions, and it was over in 30 seconds. So that's always a possibility, unfortunately. I'd suggest showing up early for flights just in case.

[tomcat1981]

What.. kind of gender-related questions did they ask? *shudder*

[rene]

"Are you male or female?" and "do you want to be patted down by a man or a woman?"

Not a whole lot of tact with that first one, but TSA agents and Bostonians aren't famous for politeness I guess... I'm afraid I don't have much more info than that, we've never had issues at any other airports and we've been through a fair few.