Happy Back Yoga with Rachel

Happy Back Yoga with Rachel The Happy Back Yoga Method, created by Rachel Krentzman, is a revolutionary method to treat yourself or She lives in Ra’anana, Israel with her two sons.

Rachel Krentzman PT, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT (Director/Lead Instructor) is the author of two books Yoga for a Happy Back: A Teacher’s Guide to Spinal Health through Yoga Therapy and Scoliosis, Yoga Therapy and The Art of Letting Go. A graduate of McGill University, Rachel completed her 2000-hour teacher training with Aadil Palkhivala at the College of Purna Yoga and has studied intensively with Judith H

anson Lasater. Rachel has integrated yoga into her clinical physical therapy practice since 2002 and is the co-director of Wisdom-Body Yoga Therapy, an IAYT- accredited Yoga Therapy Training Program in Israel.

I'm delighted to share that I'll be returning to the East Coast this summer to teach my signature Happy Back Yoga Retrea...
06/18/2026

I'm delighted to share that I'll be returning to the East Coast this summer to teach my signature Happy Back Yoga Retreat & Training at the beautiful Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, August 30–September 4, 2026.

This unique program is both a retreat and an in-depth training—a chance to step away from daily life, immerse yourself in personal practice, and deepen your understanding of yoga for spinal health. Together, we'll explore safe, intelligent movement, learn how tension and emotions are held in the body, and discover practical tools for greater ease, resilience, and well-being.

My work continues to evolve, integrating insights from physical therapy, yoga therapy, mindfulness, and Hakomi psychotherapy, and I'm excited to share what I've been learning with you.

Because I live abroad, opportunities to study with me in person in the U.S. are relatively rare. I would love to gather with both new and returning students in Omega's gorgeous lakeside setting for a week of learning, practice, connection, and renewal.

I hope you'll join me.

Learn more and register here:
https://bit.ly/4bj3Kqf

06/12/2026

✨ A Different Savasana for SI Joint Pain ✨

If you have SI joint pain, the traditional Savasana position with the feet falling out to the sides may not always feel restful. For some people, external rotation of the legs can create compression and pain in the pelvis and lower back.

Try these techniques...

Keeping the legs neutral often helps "quiet" the pelvis, allowing the SI joints and low back to fully relax.

Sometimes comfort isn't about stretching more—it's about creating enough stability for the body to let go.

Have you noticed a difference between resting with your feet turned out versus parallel?

✨ **From Ideas to Action: Igniting the Fire for Meaningful Change** ✨How many times have you had a great idea, a vision,...
06/01/2026

✨ **From Ideas to Action: Igniting the Fire for Meaningful Change** ✨
How many times have you had a great idea, a vision, or a dream—only to find yourself stuck in planning, overthinking, or waiting for the "right time"?
As yoga therapists, teachers, and healers, we are often filled with inspiration. But meaningful change doesn't happen through inspiration alone. It requires grounding, discipline, courage, and the ability to transform vision into action.
At the upcoming Yoga Therapy Conference, I'll be leading an experiential workshop exploring how the wisdom of yoga, movement, breath, and Ayurveda can help us bridge the gap between intention and implementation.
Together we'll explore:
🔥 How to cultivate the inner fire needed to create lasting change
🌱 The role of grounding and stability in bringing ideas to life
🧘 How yoga therapy supports transformation both personally and professionally
💡 Ways to move beyond overthinking into purposeful action
Through standing poses, twists, breathwork, and mindful movement, we'll develop the focus, resilience, and clarity needed to create meaningful change—whether you're building a practice, supporting clients, developing a new program, or working to integrate yoga into healthcare.
If you've ever felt called to do something bigger but weren't sure how to take the next step, this class is for you.
I would love to practice with you and explore what becomes possible when vision meets grounded action.
❤️ See you at the conference! All the details are here: https://isyoga.co.il/events/yoga-therapy-conference-2026/

See less

05/14/2026

🌀 BACK PAIN RELIEF YOU CAN DO AT HOME 🌀

One of my favorite techniques for decompressing the lumbar spine uses just:
✔️ 2 yoga straps/belts
✔️ 1 yoga block
✔️ A few minutes of your time

The best part?
It’s simple, inexpensive, gentle, and something you can safely do yourself at home.

This type of lumbar traction can be especially helpful for people dealing with:
• Disc herniations
• Sciatica
• Compression-related low back pain
• General stiffness and tension in the lower back

Creating space in the spine can help reduce pressure, calm irritation, and allow the body to breathe and move more freely again. ✨

Sometimes healing doesn’t require complicated equipment — just the right method.

🎥 Watch the video and try it gently and mindfully. As always, listen to your body and consult a healthcare provider if your symptoms are severe or worsening.

05/08/2026

Not all low back pain is actually coming from the low back.

Very often, symptoms are related to what we call sacroiliac joint dysfunction — when the SI joint loses stability or alignment and starts creating pain patterns through the pelvis and lower back.

One of the biggest clues?
Sharp, localized pain around the “buttock dimples” near the base of the spine.

This is especially common in:
• Women after birth
• Hypermobile individuals
• Yoga practitioners
• Anyone doing a lot of stretching without enough stability

In this reel, I’m showing a simple yoga strap technique that can help support, stabilize, and reset the SI joint gently and effectively.

Sometimes the answer isn’t more stretching — it’s better support and alignment.

Save this for later or share it with someone dealing with stubborn low back pain.

05/04/2026

Continuing with the psoas work… this time going a little deeper, layering in breath and movement.

The psoas is not just another muscle to stretch. It’s deeply connected to the nervous system, and it tends to hold a lot — tension, protection patterns, and sometimes emotions that have been sitting there for a long time.

As we start to open this area, it’s very common to feel heat building… and sometimes emotions come with it — anger, grief, frustration, even tears.

If that happens, try not to push it away or analyze it too much.

Just be with it.

Nothing is wrong — it’s simply your system letting go of something it doesn’t need to hold onto anymore.

Go slowly. Stay connected to your breath. Give yourself permission to feel what arises, without forcing or fixing.

And above all — be kind to yourself in the process.

This work goes deeper than the physical.

04/26/2026

Chest Openers with a Chair – Part 4 (Final Pose)**

We’ve made it to the final pose in this series—and this one goes deep.

Think of it as a *self-adjustment* for your thoracic spine. If your upper back feels stiff, compressed, or just tired from long hours of sitting, this can feel incredibly relieving.

✨ This pose helps:
• Improve mobility in the upper back (thoracic spine)
• Counteract slouching and desk posture
• Open the chest and shoulders
• Create that “I can finally breathe again” feeling

⚠️ A note: this is *not* a beginner pose. It requires full shoulder range of motion and good body awareness. Move slowly, listen to your body, and never force the position.

💡 Tip: focus on length first, then gentle opening—don’t collapse into the lower back. Let the movement come from the upper spine.

This is where everything we’ve built in Parts 1–3 comes together.

Have you tried the full series yet? I’d love to hear how your body feels after 🙌

**Ready to take your teaching to the next level?**If you’re a yoga teacher who feels unsure when students come to you wi...
04/25/2026

**Ready to take your teaching to the next level?**

If you’re a yoga teacher who feels unsure when students come to you with **injuries, pain, or neurological conditions**…
If you find yourself thinking *“I don’t really know what to do here”*…
If you’re craving **more tools, deeper knowledge, and a true understanding of the body**…

This training is for you.

**Yoga Therapy Training Program**
🗓 Starts: **October 11, 2026**
📚 **395 hours** (including practicum)
📍 One-year immersive training

In this program, you will learn how to:
• Assess the body with clarity and confidence
• Understand orthopedic & neurological conditions
• Develop intelligent, personalized, and holistic sequences
• Bridge the gap between yoga and healthcare

This is more than a training.
It’s a **professional and personal transformation**.

✨ **Elevate your teaching. Deepen your impact.**
Begin your journey to becoming a **Yoga Therapist**.

🔗 https://www.rachelkrentzman.com/general-8

04/23/2026

Chest Openers on a Chair – Part 3

This variation of *Setu Bandha* (Bridge Pose) uses the chair to safely target the thoracic spine—the area that is often stiff and restricted.

When the thoracic spine lacks mobility, the neck and shoulders tend to compensate… which is where pain and tension begin.

With the support of the chair, we can:
• Encourage extension through the mid-back
• Reduce overload in the neck and shoulders
• Create more efficient, easeful breathing

The key here isn’t how far you go—it’s where the movement happens.

Slow down, breathe, and invite the opening into the places that usually stay stuck.

04/17/2026

Chest Openers with a Chair – Part 2

In this second variation, we build on foundational support to safely mobilize the thoracic spine and open the anterior shoulder girdle.

Using a chair allows for:
• Reduced load on the lumbar spine
• Improved alignment and control
• Gradual, sustained opening through the chest and shoulders

This is especially helpful for individuals with:
– Neck and shoulder pain
– Postural strain from prolonged sitting
– Restricted breathing patterns

Focus on slow, steady breathing as you ease into the position. The goal is not intensity, but creating space—both structurally and in the breath.

Accessible, effective, and adaptable—this is how we make therapeutic work sustainable.

Address

150 Lake Dr
Rhinebeck, NY
12572

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Happy Back Yoga with Rachel posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Happy Back Yoga with Rachel:

Shortcuts

Share

Category