Turning Limitations into Strengths | Meet Ndem Nkem
September 11, 2018
Blog post is in collaboration with Accessible Yoga and Yoga International featuring winners of the annual International Day of Yoga Accessible Yoga Instagram Challenge. #IDY2018accessibleyoga
What does accessible yoga look like to you?
When I think of accessible yoga immediately my thoughts are options, confidence & empowerment. Many circumstances in life can make us feel out of place, moving our bodies shouldn’t be one of them. Accessible yoga empowers people to do what they can and not feel bad about the things they can not do. It sheds a light on how strong my body really is and what it’s capable of. What others see as a challenge – I’m over here turning limitations into strengths. With tools like yoga blocks, chairs, and resistance bands, I can achieve any pose.
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“I’m making yoga accessible by teaching others we are all capable of movement, breaking stereotypes, and sharing yoga/stretching tips for every one can add to their routines. I make posts to keep myself & others accountable of daily movement. it’s a self care practice that will improve your life. My name is Ndem, I’m from California and this is what a yogi looks like.”
How did yoga find you?
My yoga story started off more as accountability. I have been doing powerlifting for awhile and my body was just feeling it. I knew I needed to start stretching more so I just decided why not just make myself accountable by posting on Instagram, maybe it might help some other people as well. Now I get people tagging me posts saying my posts remind them to stretch, move their bodies and most in important to take time for self-care. My goal now is to show all bodies have the ability for movement.
Who are your accessible yoga role models?
Yoga is something I just always did once I learned of it. When it comes to role models, it was usually athletes with similar backgrounds as myself (running, lifting weights and basketball). One of my biggest motivations is Kaleigh Mancha @kaym86 on Instagram. She is always doing every pose you can think of and showing others so many ways they can perform the movements. I’m motivated to continue my practice of yoga due to seeing her posts. Other people that motivate me are Koya Webb ,Dianne Bondy and Amber Karnes.
I hope one day to inspire people to move their bodies, love animals, eat more plants and to not let limitations hold them back. Throughout the years I have changed my mindset on what a healthy body looks like. I have applied these values in my personal training. What you see in magazines or tv doesn’t always tell the true story. Try new things, be the narrator of your story and shape it the way you want it to be read. Do the things you enjoy and be around people who inspire you every day. It’s never to late change your mindset and outlook on life. Be mindful of how we treat the planet, others and most importantly yourself. If you ever need to talk or just someone to listen, I’m always here.
Ndem Nkem (N-dame N-kim) is from Chowchilla, CA near the Fresno area. While he grew up he always thought eating animals was weird and decided to make a change in life. Through research, he learned you don’t need to eat animals to survive. In 2007 he became a vegetarian and 2012 took the leap to becoming a vegan. Going vegan was the best decision of his life. He feels it’s the most ethical thing you can do for the animals & planet. Today, he spends his spare time traveling the US showcasing the power of a plant fueled diet. Ndem proves that you can easily be an athlete, move your body at any size, have muscle, go after your dreams, and be strong on a plant-based diet!