This week, Signature reached out to India Morse, a deaf fitness instructor and health influencer. Through her social media, India advocates for spaces to be more accessible, so that deaf individuals have a place to feel confident and get fit. Throughout the blog, India opens up about common misconceptions regarding deafness and more about her online coaching and fitness business, You Lean Me Up. Be sure to keep on reading to find out more!
- What inspired you to pursue a career in fitness, was there a particular moment in which you felt particularly inspired?
Initially, I didn’t know what career I wanted to pursue, I started out fitness as my hobby, I’ve always loved to move my body and luckily for me I turned my passion into my job. I was travelling the world and recall having a lightbulb moment thinking I wanted to help people to move too although, at that point I never envisioned I would become an online fitness coach and a fitness accessibility advocate/influencer! I kept asking deaf friends to join me going to fitness classes, but they always were reluctant to do so because they felt unconfident due to lack of access. I noticed that no one out there were fighting to make this change. In this moment, I felt inspired to make a difference for the deaf community, as I was constantly met with obstacles whilst trying to access fitness classes myself. Ultimately, it became my aim to make a difference.
- How has your journey been as a deaf fitness trainer in an industry dominated by hearing individuals?
It’s very apparent that the industry is dominated by hearing individuals, I have always noticed the struggles that deaf people go through in comparison to hearing individuals. At the moment, it’s a trend to have fitness classes in a dark room with music blasting- although this might be fun for hearing people, it is totally inaccessible for us, it’s made me feel lost and unconfident, therefore I know it would also impact other deaf people in the same way. It can feel lonely as a deaf fitness trainer, especially whilst trying to overcome the barriers out there. Sometimes deaf people don’t want to announce to the whole class that we are deaf- whether deaf or hearing we should be able to go to any chosen class and feel as though we can follow it. There’s a real lack of deaf awareness out there and I’m always striving to change that.
- Can you expand on some of the misconceptions you have faced regarding deafness, either in the fitness industry or in general? Do you work to address these in a particular way?
A common misconception in terms of deafness is that hearing people sometimes think they cannot communicate with us and don’t even try. This is totally wrong; I like to encourage other trainers in the fitness industry to think outside the box and think about communicating things visually to us in other ways i.e., pointing to parts of the body that we are working on next etc. Also, sometimes it is assumed that deaf people with hearing aids and cochlear implants can hear- this is untrue as all deaf people are different. Another misconception is that deaf people are unable to get jobs- this can extremely limit us and is a huge barrier to rid! Again, it’s all down to a lack of deaf awareness and about employers being unaware of the Access to Work scheme to support deaf people in the workplace with interpreters etc. I like to encourage different fitness brands e.g., Gym Box, Virgin, David Lloyd, The Gym Group, Fitness First amongst so many more, to undertake Deaf Awareness training to lead positive changes.
- What led you to create your online coaching and fitness business, You Lean Me Up?
During lockdown, everyone was unable to enter the gyms and so there was a demand for online coaching. I remember lots of people were copying workout videos online, but they had the wrong form, and this led to injuries. So, I made the decision to launch my online coaching through my app and delivered tailored 1:1 PT sessions. It was fabulous as I could see the positive impact it had on deaf people’s wellbeing specifically at this time. I was able to correct my client’s wrong form virtually and respond to any fitness related questions, in turn it would brighten up my day seeing deaf people having the right access and seeing them flourish in confidence. I love that I have the capacity to work with people all over the world and have trained deaf clients based in America and New Zealand as well as in the UK! Online coaching brings a nice sense of connection and accountability.
- How important was it for you to partner with Joe Wicks, the nation’s PE teacher, to create a deaf friendly series on YouTube?
It was really important to me to work with Joe Wicks, The Body Coach, especially as he’s a reputable and loved person in the fitness industry and we share similar values in terms of fitness and wellbeing. In turn, he helped me spread my message and raise awareness of the barriers that deaf people experience day to day. He gave me a huge platform to spread out the importance of accessibility. It was empowering to create an accessible and deaf friendly series on YouTube and the Body Coach App as all of the classes were delivered by myself, totally accessible in BSL, with voiceover from an interpreter. I am grateful to work with the Body Coach and think it’s so important to continue making an impact.
- What advice would you give to your younger self and to those who are interested in pursuing their fitness passion but are unsure where to begin?
I would advise that it’s all about making simple small steps which lead to positive lifestyle changes. I always encourage my clients when they’re starting out to just try and move for 20 minutes a day and see how that positively impacts their mood afterwards. You will ALWAYS feel better for getting out and moving your body. Take small steps to achieve your goals. Don’t pile on the pressure on yourself and focus on the small wins. You could initially just aim to walk more, then you could build it up to moving your body for 20 minutes, 3 times a week- this is very achievable. I would advise my younger self not to be too hard on myself, it can be easy to go an extreme with it but it all about balance. It’s hugely important to listen to your body and rest. My motto is eat healthy 80% of the time and 20% of the time eat whatever you want- life is too short not to! And one more thing, find enjoyment in the fitness you do and just have fun with it!
- Outside of fitness, do you have any other hobbies that you enjoy?
I love to explore new places and have a passion for travelling. I’m a foodie and coffee addict so I love visiting hidden coffee gems, cafes, and nice restaurants in London too! I love spending quality time with family and friends. In my spare time, I enjoy reading mindfulness books and love watching anything cooking related like Master Chef and The British Bake Off- I find them calming to watch.
- Finally, do you have any upcoming exciting projects or aspirations that you can share with Signature followers.
I’m excited to say I will be most likely doing the London Marathon in April 2025; it’s always been on my bucket list- I am both scared and excited as it will be my first time! It’s a big goal because I know I will want to do more and more afterwards too- I definitely have the running bug! I am planning to fundraise money for the Deaf community so, watch this space! An aspiration of mine is to develop a global fitness app and employ deaf people from all over the world. I want this to be accessible for absolutely everyone, both deaf and hearing people as it’s so vital that everyone fits in.
Here at Signature, we would like to thank India for sharing her passion for fitness with us. It has been great to learn about her online fitness business which enables deaf people to access workouts that are not only fun but a space to flourish. We wish her all the best for the future and the best of luck in the 2025 London Marathon- a great achievement.
