Malvina Yoga & Pilates Studio Loughrea

09/05/2026

28/04/2026

Right, this is the Roos test, also known as the “hands up, don’t shoot!” test.

It checks if the space between your neck, collarbone, and shoulder is a bit tight, which can squash the nerves and blood vessels heading down into your arms.

You bring your arms up like a goalpost, elbows level with your shoulders, and you open and close your hands for about a minute.

If your arms go numb, heavy, tingly, or you start questioning your life choices, that tells us the space in there might be a bit stingy.

Now, how does this link to Yoga & Pilates?
In class we regularly practice with arms overhead, chest open, ribs soft, neck long. If you’re tight through the front of the chest or curled forward from phones and laptops, that whole area can feel like it’s closing in.
So this test shows you whether overhead work feels awkward because you simply don’t have enough space yet.

If the Roos test lights you up, it’s not a diagnosis, it’s just information.

It means your body is asking for more openness around the collarbones, more length through the chest, and more ease in the upper back.

Yoga & Pilates, practiced with awareness, is brilliant for creating that space so your arms can actually move without your nervous system filing a complaint.

Learn to listen to your body so you can really tend to its needs at Malvina Yoga & Pilates Studio.

20/04/2026

Ya! I’m talking to you! 😉
You’re the reason this place feels like more than a room with mats in it. Every time you walk in, with whatever kind of day you’ve had, you bring a bit of yourself into the space and it shifts the whole feel of the studio.

Some of you come in ready for the chats, some come in needing the quiet, some come in looking like the day has taken a good swing at you. And all of that is grand. All of that belongs here.

What happens in here isn’t about perfection or performance. It’s community. It’s the small nods, the shared laughs, the “ah God, same” moments, the comfort of being around people who get it without you having to explain a thing.

You make this place sound, you make it safe, you make it human. I don’t take that for granted. The studio works because of you, and I’m genuinely grateful for the way you show up, in all your realness, every single week.

20/04/2026

Some days I’m on the mat because my head is gone sideways and I need a minute. Other days it’s because my body feels like concrete and I’m trying to convince it to move again.

And the gas thing is, the science actually backs up the stuff we feel. A bit of load wakes up the muscles that have been asleep since breakfast, it tells your nervous system you’re grand, you’re safe, keep going.

Slow breathing literally shifts your whole system out of panic mode, drops your heart rate, and gives your brain a bit of space to stop acting the maggot.

None of this is mystical.
None of it needs to look pretty.
It’s just your body doing what it’s designed to do when you give it half a chance.

So if you’re here for the muscle, or the mind, or because you’re one minor inconvenience away from roaring, you’re not alone. This is the work. This is the reset.

07/04/2026

Escapism is the norm now. Scroll a bit, eat something nice, book a trip, stick something on the telly. These tiny treats have become the only way many of us feel we can get a break from our own lives.

But are we meant to be this overwhelmed that we are always looking for the exit door.

And here is the sneaky part. Escapism is not just Netflix and chocolate anymore. We distract ourselves with things that look meaningful.

Ten podcasts a week but no action. Self improvement content but no change. Meditating, not to meet ourselves, but to numb the discomfort. It is still avoidance. Which makes you wonder, can spirituality become another escape route.

When I first tried to read the Bhagavad Gita, I found it tough. So I bought a children’s version. I needed the story before the teachings. Once I had the bones of it, the whole thing opened up.

In the Gita, Arjuna wants to run from the battlefield. Krishna does not tell him to go home and have a lie down. He guides him to find clarity and strength so he can face what is in front of him.

Freedom does not come from dodging what we need to deal with. Avoidance feels like relief, but it keeps us stuck.

But when we approach spiritual practice with sincerity, not performance, it becomes something different. Meditation, reading something that actually lands, spending time with people who lift us, these things steady the mind. They help us meet our lives instead of running from them.

That is why the Gita is so practical. It is not about floating away. It is about grounding yourself so you can participate in your own life.

So this week, look at how you are approaching your spirituality. Is it helping you meet your life, or helping you avoid it. Real spirituality prepares you to walk into your challenges with a steadier heart.

06/04/2026

You know that feeling when your phone reminds you to book your classes, and you suddenly remember you meant to do it… last Thursday?

This is your sign from the universe, or at least from me, to get your mat sorted for the week ahead.

Your future self will thank you, your hips will thank you, and your nervous system will stop shouting at you like a toddler who missed their nap.
Go on, book the class, claim the mat, keep yourself moving.

06/04/2026

There’s a thing we do in Ireland where we carry the whole world on our shoulders, then apologise for taking up space while doing it. We’ll listen to everyone else’s troubles, but the second it’s our turn, we say “ah sure look, it’s nothing” while quietly falling apart inside.

But out in the Slieve Aughty woods, with Sox and Boomer tearing around like two furry lunatics living their best chaotic lives, it reminded me of something important;
You’re not meant to go through life pretending you’re made of stone. You’re not meant to swallow every feeling like it’s a bad pint. You’re not meant to be grand all the time.

You’re allowed to be human.
You’re allowed to have days when the head is pure chaos and the heart is tired.
You’re allowed to lean on someone without feeling like you’re dragging them down.

And the truth is, you’re not a burden.
You’re not your past.
You’re not the worst thing you’ve ever done or the hardest thing you’ve ever felt.
You’re just a person trying to find your way, same as the rest of us.

If you’re in a dark patch, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
It just means you’re alive, and feeling, and in need of a bit of light.

So if you needed a sign today, this is it!
You’re not on your own.
Not now, not ever.

03/04/2026

2026 Studio timetable and class pack options!

Yoga and Pilates in Loughrea, with flexible class packs that work around your life. Let’s make wellness a priority together, see you on the mat soon.

Choose the option that suits you best:

1️⃣ Pay As You Go, €16
Perfect for popping in whenever you feel like joining a class.

2️⃣ 4 Class Pack, €56
Valid for 30 days

3️⃣ 8 Class Pack, €104
Valid for 45 days

4️⃣ 12 Class Pack, €144
Valid for 60 days

🗓️ Your class pack activates on day of purchase.

See you on the mat, ready to embrace a journey of self care and inner peace. 🧘🌟

From my heart to yours,
Lots of love, Malvina 🙏💕
📞 0834040137

Malvina Yoga and Pilates Studio
Dunkellin Street
Loughrea
H62H362

03/04/2026

2026 Mum & Baby Class
Every Tuesday 11:15am - 12:15pm spread the word with all new Mums 🫶
🎁Gift vouchers available.

Having trained in both Pregnancy and Post Natal Pilates and Yoga. I offer a Mum & Baby class as a fusion mix of both. In class we explore movement that supports healing and recovery together with techniques that relieve anxiety and stress. It’s a truly gorgeous combination.

As always, we have our weekly check in to support the emotional and mental journey of early motherhood and to help you build real, lasting friendships during this wild and beautiful chapter of life. And of course, there’s the coffee afterwards to deepen connection in a relaxed way, with bonus points if you get to drink it warm.

💖 Share with a fellow Mum

From my heart to yours,
Lots of love,
Malvina
📞 0834040137
📍 Malvina Yoga and Pilates Studio
Dunkellin Street, Loughrea H62H362