Articles by Yanar Alkayat, Contributing editor

Yanar Alkayat is a health and fitness editor, registered yoga therapist and level 3 personal trainer. She founded Yanar Mind & Movement alongside her journalism to offer specialist yoga therapy for people living with long-term health conditions, movement disorders and marginalised communities.

Her chair yoga classes are funded by Parkinson's UK and she regularly runs yoga and fitness sessions for refugee and asylum seeker groups in London. Formerly a content editor and fitness product testing manager at Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Runner's World, she continues to write for national print and digital media.

Yanar's passion for fitness and wellness started young, when she borrowed her first health book from the library aged 11. After years of running marathons, she discovered CrossFit and Olympic lifting in her mid-30s and spent the next decade training and competing. Alongside this, she's always used yoga, breathwork and meditation to support her recovery and nervous system through high intensity training.

Her mum's Parkinson's Disease diagnosis motivated her to complete a diploma in yoga therapy and launch Yanar Mind & Movement, making movement and restorative practices more accessible. She champions mindful movement and nervous system regulation as well as strength work for better physical and mental health.

When not training, teaching or writing, she'll be found cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

Yanar Alkayat

No planks or sit-ups—I’m a PT and these are the five moves I believe all beginners should start training their deep core with

The morning yoga pose I do for strength, stability and energy—and it’s one your yoga class is probably missing

If you only ever have time to do a couple of stretches after a run make it these two to accelerate recovery, says a certified trainer

I’m a trainer and this is one move I give my older clients to improve their independence

These are the three single-leg exercises I’ve been doing to rebuild core strength after an injury

I created this seven-move seated workout for clients managing their heart health

The breathwork trick that helps me sleep when I’m stressed—and my yoga clients love it too

I’m a yoga therapist and I love doing these three poses in bed before getting up

Why we need to move through different planes of motion and how to do it with just one move

Maintain strength and independence with this single-dumbbell workout for over-50s

Three chair yoga poses to try if you can’t do floor-based yoga

I’m a yoga therapist and fitness editor and one of these 13 gift ideas is sure to delight the yoga lover in your life, starting from £7

I did sun salutations every day for a month—here’s what it taught me

I did this 21-minute walking workout on my lunch break for a week—here’s what surprised me

The core move every trainer recommends is harder than it looks—here are the modifications that worked for me

How I relieve back tension first thing in the morning—with just two simple moves

I’m a personal trainer and these are the glute bridge variations I love using to build strength and stability

I’ve finally started using this underrated piece of kit and it’s transformed my core workouts

I’m a yoga teacher and this is my go-to mat for grip and it’s 23% off right now

I’m a fitness editor and these are the four moves I do every morning to keep my joints healthy—all while I’m still in my pajamas

I’m a PT and this is the core exercise I give to all my clients

I swapped my usual core routine for this dumbbell workout—here’s why you should try it too

10 yoga stretches for beginners that will boost flexibility

Undo the damage of sitting with these three simple chair stretches to fix your posture

The best adjustable dumbbells for building strength and muscle at home