Standing Strong: Core Moves for Moms (No Floor Needed!)
FIT4MOM x Christina Maril x Joanna Matarrese-Zapata
Motherhood demands strength—physical, emotional, and everything in between. Whether you’re bouncing a baby on your hip, juggling school drop-offs, or just trying to move your body in between the chaos, standing core exercises are functional, efficient, and mom-friendly—no floor, no equipment, no pressure.
JoAnna Matarrese-Zapata, owner of FIT4MOM Frankfort, is living proof that motherhood and strength go hand in hand. Her story shows how finding the right support system can change everything—on and off the mat.
FIT4MOM Found Her—At Just the Right Time
Before she ever led a class, JoAnna was a new mom in the trenches. Her son Leo (now 9) wasn’t sleeping well, and JoAnna was deep in the fog of early postpartum life. She had never taken a group fitness class before. She wasn’t looking for one, either. What she was looking for—whether she knew it or not—was connection.
One night, during a 3 AM scroll, a Facebook event popped up on her feed. Something nudged her to sign up for the free class. Something else nudged her to actually show up.
“I was a ball of nerves walking up to a group of moms I had never met before,” she remembers. “But I left that class knowing I had found something special.”
Now, JoAnna is not only a pre- and postnatal certified FIT4MOM instructor, but a franchise owner, leader, and passionate community builder—currently pregnant with her second miracle baby, and still showing up for moms every day.
Why Standing Core Moves Work—for Every Mom
What are the moves JoAnna is loving these days? Standing core exercises.
Why? Because they work on the exact things moms need most: balance, posture, pelvic stability, and total-body coordination—all in a way that’s inclusive and accessible for moms in any season of life.
“I love these moves because they engage your core in a functional, everyday way. They challenge your balance and strength without ever having to get on the ground—which means less stress, more flexibility, and a workout that fits into real mom life.”
Whether you’re in early postpartum, chasing after big kids, or just trying to find five minutes for yourself, these exercises offer a chance to build strength on your terms.
JoAnna’s Favorite Standing Core Moves
Here are JoAnna’s top picks for standing core exercises you can do anywhere, anytime.
These moves are great on their own or strung together for a quick core circuit. Modify as needed, or level up when you're ready!
Standing Bird Dog
Challenges core control and balance
Single Leg Deadlift
Strengthens the hamstrings, glutes, and stabilizers
Standing Side Bend to Abduction
Works obliques and outer hips
Standing Bicycle
Boosts mobility and engages the entire core
Abduction to Adduction Balance Challenge
Improves pelvic stability and coordination
Hinged Kickback to Knee Drive
Combines lower body strength with dynamic movement
Windmill
Builds rotational strength and flexibility
Woodchop
Adds power and function to your core routine
Standing Knee Drives with Arm Chop
A cardio-core combo that gets your heart pumping
Cross-Body Crunch to Toe Touch
Targets the full core with a side of mobility
Real Movement, Real Moms, Real Community
What JoAnna loves most about FIT4MOM isn’t just the workouts—it’s the realness.
“No filters. No pretending that motherhood is perfect. Just a space where moms can show up exactly as they are—and be met with support, encouragement, and zero judgment.”
JoAnna didn’t grow up working out. She didn’t always love fitness. But she discovered strength through this community—and now she helps other moms do the same.
As the owner of FIT4MOM Frankfort, she’s created a space where every mom belongs—regardless of fitness level, background, or season of motherhood. It’s not about doing it all perfectly. It’s about showing up.
Want to Try It for Yourself?
FIT4MOM offers classes for every stage of motherhood, led by instructors who truly get it—because they’ve been there. If you’re curious about how good movement can feel when it’s built for your body and your life, we’d love to meet you.
Find your local FIT4MOM village and get moving with us.
We’ll bring the workout. You bring your beautiful, messy, real mom self.
KEEP MOVING WITH US!
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