What people are saying.

  • Ríagáin is a wonderful yoga teacher and trainer. She is not only knowledgeable about her craft, she has the rare talent of being an excellent teacher. Her kindness and understanding is always apparent and you can see that she truly cares about the progress of her students. Her classes are a highlight of the week. I would highly recommend Ríagáin as a teacher and trainer.m

    — Joseph J.

  • I have been virtually working with Ríagáin for over a year now. I started with her after COVID wreaked havoc on my heart, putting me into literal heart failure and got so much more in return! She caters every session to my need that day, whether it’s amazing stress-relief yoga or booty-kicking Pilates, I know she’s got my back. We just started bodywork sessions in-person, and they are simply amazing.

    — Holly T.

  • Ríagáin is a movement genius. She's incredibly knowledgeable, sensitive, creative and passionate about the human body, able to not only help you meet any movement goal, but expand your expectations of what you can do and the life you're able to live with your body. Even if you only have one session, she may prescribe you a stretch that will change your entire life. I can't recommend her enough.

    — Leopold K.

  • After 20+ years of intensive ballet training and multiple breaks to both ankles, my range of motion and flexibility were totally shot. I could barely squat without lifting my heels and struggled to maintain my balance while doing the simplest of yoga poses. After countless physical therapy sessions that did nothing to alleviate my issues, I looked into body work and scheduled my first appointment. To say I was impressed is an understatement! After one session, I felt a drastic improvement in my range of motion and overall flexibility in my ankles. After the the second, I am 100% better able to really stretch deep into my poses and have much more stability during my practice. 10 out of 10 would absolutely recommend and I can’t wait to get my next appointment scheduled so I can keep up my momentum! Eternally grateful for the amazing work!

    — Annie C.

  • I have worked in fitness for over a decade, & trained with Southpaw Movement for over half that time, as well. Every modality offered was--for me--directly complementary to the others. As a neurodivergent student, I continue to appreciate the multitude of ways she explains complex dynamics & their underlying principles by clear & articulate examples & demonstrations. Southpaw Movement works to meet clients' needs & goals by a unique & tailored regimen of bodywork & physical conditioning. Ríagáin maintains an arsenal of anatomy & kinesiology knowledge, & she utilizes a vast array of methods/techniques within her holistic, person-centered approach in training her clients. Regularly scheduled bodywork sessions proved to be both intangibly valuable, & also absolutely vital in facilitating an integration of learning & experience with practice, into a much more thorough & comprehensive understanding & awareness of my own patterns of movement throughout the course of my training with Southpaw Movement. 10/10 highly recommend!

    — Bethany C.

  • As someone with a host of rare and complicated health issues, I can say without doubt that Ríagáin Marais is the best thing that could’ve happened to me for recovery, prevention, and pain management. She goes above and beyond in every private training and bodywork session to strengthen my weaknesses, teach me postural corrections, and address my ever-evolving concerns. If there’s a mystery, Ríagáin will research until she solves it. Even when medical doctors weren’t offering answers or solutions, I wasn’t alone in my struggles because Ríagáin was helping me week by week. And when we finally had answers, she jumped in with a customized plan that I know is setting me up for the best future possible. I am so grateful to have Ríagáin on my health team.

    — Annie T.

  • I worked with Ríagáin for nearly a year on Pilates & noticed immediate improvement in my strength & flexibility. Ríagáin has a sharp eye for even the slightest misalignments & showed me how to recognize them & make adjustments that made a huge difference. She helped me find & keep my strength! She’s awesome.

    — Stephanie H.

  • Ok, this is going to be a little all over the place and jump back and forth… I have known Ríagáin since 2019 where we lived in the same lovely little town and she worked at a yoga/pilates/dance studio. I was seeking out a Pilates practice because I have been suffering from chronic pain and permanent injuries since the age of 23. I have seen all kinds of doctors and healthcare providers for my conditions and spent lots of money on them despite not much change or improvement, however Ríagáin has actually been able to help me! Working with Ríagáin I have become stronger and more flexible, with greater mobility. Most importantly, I attribute a reduction in my pain levels to working with her since 2019. For this reason I trust Ríagáin wholeheartedly. And the thing is, I moved in 2020 so the majority of the time I have been working with her has been virtually!! With hardly any props or equipment to assist us! Not that she isn’t great with those resources—the time I spent with her in person I was introduced to really cool exercise machines as well as different practices. Even though it’s what I sought out when I first started working with her, we don't strictly do Pilates. She incorporates yoga, stretching, mobility exercises, training methods used in the world of dance, physical therapy & self-massage methods—I mean she could, I’m sure, incorporate anything into your sessions, probably even martial arts because she practices that as well!! Oh, and she can even incorporate creativity and play! What I’m saying is Ríagáin is extremely knowledgeable about different kinds of sports and athletics and what athlete bodies need to maintain balance while increasing strength and conditioning. This translates beautifully to those of us who need these modalities more for healing, both physically and mentally! I am building a strong foundation and trust that eventually, through working with Ríagáin, I will be able to grow even more by incorporating a more regular practice of exercise and movement back into my life. When I was young I was a long-distance runner but I got injured in my 20s and wasn’t able to fully heal. At this point of time in my life, especially in light of other diagnoses, I believe running was a form of stimming for me or it helped me process overwhelming emotions. This is to say, Ríagáin is compassionate about that and able to help me make improvements in some very long-lasting and deeply ingrained injuries to my back and hip. Again, she’s very knowledgeable about health! An expert in anatomy and physiology, and she will teach you the proper names for your muscles, tendons and bones, etc. You will not only make lasting gains with her, you will also get a valuable education about your musculoskeletal system and your fascia or connective tissue and neural or cerebro-spinal networks, in particular, but she has a holistic understanding and approach to the entire human body—no brain-body separation here! She is a very understanding and compassionate person, while able to challenge you to grow. Most importantly, Ríagáin meets you where you are at in terms of what your needs are and what your level or ability is. If you are just thinking about working with Ríagáin, at this point you’ve seen enough. Working with her is the right decision!

    — Caroline H.