This is the exact path I wish more women knew about. The fear of 'getting bulky' kept me on cardio for years and it was such a waste. Strength training gave me shape, not size.

That's the proper longevity mindset.

Straps are an amazing tool for managing training load when injured.

Make sure you wear knee sleeves to keep the joints warm during training.

Yes, DB work will expose the lag immediately. Do not rush it, it takes a few months to balance out completely.

I do oatmeal both pre and post. Boring but effective.

I’ve seen studies showing “carb timing is overblown” unless you train twice a day. Thoughts?

For me, pre carbs make me sluggish. I prefer a protein shake before, then big carb meal after.

I film my squats to check depth. Sometimes feels deep but video shows otherwise.

I have longer legs so ATG feels unnatural. Parallel works best for me — I add hip thrusts for extra glute work.