Exploring Life & Business with Belle Ursa of Amplio Fitness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Belle Ursa. 

Hi Belle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Amplio Fitness was started by me and my partner, John Hall, about five years ago! It all stemmed from our personal experiences with fitness/wellness. At the time, I personally was going through some huge steps in my gender journey and one big piece was understanding the best ways I could take care of myself. I was doing my best, googling things, and attending a gym, but none of that really stuck. There is so much conflicting information online, some health professionals were saying “to just eat better,” and the gym was an incredibly scary place to me. It was a perfect storm for me to quit as soon as I started. Add on the extra anxiety of being trans and having to worry about my safety, it just wasn’t working. And over time, no matter how hard I tried, I would continue to experience the cycle of trying, hitting an obstacle, feeling unsupported, quitting, and feeling upset and defeated. This wasn’t supposed to be how it goes. And no one I talked to was able to help me! Either they fell victim to the latest fad diet, they had information that wasn’t applicable to my body, they were ignorant of my specific needs, or they also just had no idea as well! 

I knew there were other people like me who just wanted to learn how to connect and care for their bodies but were left lost and confused. So, I decided, if my local “professionals” weren’t going to help, I’d learn it myself. I quit my job shortly after (due to a lot of other personal reasons as well!) and received my certification in Health Coaching from the American Counsel on Exercise. One thing led to another, and I quickly made the decision to open up my own studio, specifically for LGBTQ folks (and allies!). It was imperative to me that we open our own studio because I didn’t want our existence to be another checkbox for the marketing team. I didn’t want a company to just “tolerate” us. I wanted to make a space where our community can celebrate who they are, celebrate all their beautiful bodies, and learn how to care for them in a healthy and safe manner. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not! We were just hitting our one-year mark and the beginning of our stride when COVID-19 hit. It was an awful and scary time, filled with a lot of loss and we were unfortunately not immune to that. We were a part of the mandatory shutdown in the beginning, but the consequences lasted beyond that time period. All of our clients experienced some type of loss (financial, personal, etc.). which prevented them from returning to the studio for some time. 

But we were very lucky to receive support from our community to help us survive the worst of the pandemic until things were able to open back up. Even in 2023, we are still feeling the effects of that time period, but we know that our community will always show up for us, and we hope we can return that same energy through our studio. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Amplio Fitness?
Amplio Fitness is the first-ever LGBTQ+ wellness studio in Northeast Ohio. Our studio’s mission is to carve out a space in the fitness industry for the LGBTQ community. This space is one where our clients are able to come as they are, celebrate their identity, and receive professional guidance and support for their wellness journey. We believe in the Health at Every Size (HAES) approach, which basically means our philosophy is to never assume a body’s abilities based on its appearance. It is an ongoing commitment to understand the impact and mechanisms of fatphobia within our society and use our services to unpack harmful misinformation and maintain a space where our clients can heal. Trainers at our studio aim to empower each and every one of our clients, to bolster their relationship with their body, and listen to what it needs to feel happy, healthy, and joyful. Wellness is a right that we are so proud to teach, learn, and experience with our clients. 

Our services include personal training, health/nutrition coaching, group fitness classes, and an infrared sauna. For more detailed information, please visit our website at https://ampliofitness.com/ 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ampliofitness.com/
• Instagram: @ampliofitness
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ampliofitness