diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8cc8b49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Generic
+
+# DEV
+DATABASE_URL_DEV="file:./prisma/dev.db"
+ADMIN_EMAIL_DEV="admin@gymflow.ai"
+ADMIN_PASSWORD_DEV="admin123"
+
+# TEST
+DATABASE_URL_TEST="file:./prisma/test.db"
+ADMIN_EMAIL_TEST="admin@gymflow.ai"
+ADMIN_PASSWORD_TEST="admin123"
+
+# PROD
+DATABASE_URL_PROD="file:./prisma/prod.db"
+ADMIN_EMAIL_PROD="admin-prod@gymflow.ai"
+ADMIN_PASSWORD_PROD="secure-prod-password-change-me"
+
+# Fallback for Prisma CLI (Migrate default)
+DATABASE_URL="file:./prisma/dev.db"
+
+GEMINI_API_KEY=AIzaSyC88SeFyFYjvSfTqgvEyr7iqLSvEhuadoE
+DEFAULT_EXERCISES_CSV_PATH='default_exercises.csv'
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 550b00c..edf5547 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,13 +9,13 @@ lerna-debug.log*
 node_modules
 dist
 dist-ssr
-.env
+#.env
 *.local
 server/prisma/dev.db
 test-results/
 playwright-report/
 
-.vscode/*
+#.vscode/*
 !.vscode/extensions.json
 .idea
 .DS_Store
diff --git a/.vscode/mcp.json b/.vscode/mcp.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0c78a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/mcp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  "servers": {
+    "playwright-test": {
+      "type": "stdio",
+      "command": "npx",
+      "args": [
+        "playwright",
+        "run-test-mcp-server"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "inputs": []
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/default_exercises.csv b/server/default_exercises.csv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f25f53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/default_exercises.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+name,type,bodyWeightPercentage,isUnilateral
+Air Squats,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Barbell Row,STRENGTH,0,false
+Bench Press,STRENGTH,0,false
+Bicep Curl,STRENGTH,0,true
+Bulgarian Split-Squat Jumps,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,true
+Bulgarian Split-Squats,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,true
+Burpees,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Calf Raise,STRENGTH,0,true
+Chin-Ups,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Cycling,CARDIO,0,false
+Deadlift,STRENGTH,0,false
+Dips,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Dumbbell Curl,STRENGTH,0,true
+Dumbbell Shoulder Press,STRENGTH,0,true
+Face Pull,STRENGTH,0,false
+Front Squat,STRENGTH,0,false
+Hammer Curl,STRENGTH,0,true
+Handstand,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Hip Thrust,STRENGTH,0,false
+Jump Rope,CARDIO,0,false
+Lat Pulldown,STRENGTH,0,false
+Leg Extension,STRENGTH,0,true
+Leg Press,STRENGTH,0,false
+Lunges,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,true
+Mountain Climbers,CARDIO,0,false
+Muscle-Up,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Overhead Press,STRENGTH,0,false
+Plank,STATIC,0,false
+Pull-Ups,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Push-Ups,BODYWEIGHT,0.65,false
+Romanian Deadlift,STRENGTH,0,false
+Rowing,CARDIO,0,false
+Running,CARDIO,0,false
+Russian Twist,BODYWEIGHT,0,false
+Seated Cable Row,STRENGTH,0,false
+Side Plank,STATIC,0,true
+Sissy Squats,BODYWEIGHT,1.0,false
+Sprint,CARDIO,0,false
+Squat,STRENGTH,0,false
+Treadmill,CARDIO,0,false
+Tricep Extension,STRENGTH,0,false
+Wall-Sit,STATIC,0,false
diff --git a/server/prisma/dev.db b/server/prisma/dev.db
index a8455d4..043723e 100644
Binary files a/server/prisma/dev.db and b/server/prisma/dev.db differ
diff --git a/server/src/services/auth.service.ts b/server/src/services/auth.service.ts
index 35a403c..6dcdb43 100644
--- a/server/src/services/auth.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/auth.service.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import prisma from '../lib/prisma';
 import bcrypt from 'bcryptjs';
 import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';
+import fs from 'fs';
+import path from 'path';
+import dotenv from 'dotenv';
 
 const JWT_SECRET = process.env.JWT_SECRET || 'secret';
 
@@ -64,6 +67,74 @@ export class AuthService {
             include: { profile: true }
         });
 
+        // Seed default exercises
+        try {
+            // Ensure env is loaded (in case server didn't restart)
+            if (!process.env.DEFAULT_EXERCISES_CSV_PATH) {
+                dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(process.cwd(), '.env'), override: true });
+                if (!process.env.DEFAULT_EXERCISES_CSV_PATH) {
+                    // Try root if CWD is server
+                    dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(process.cwd(), '../.env'), override: true });
+                }
+            }
+
+            const csvPath = process.env.DEFAULT_EXERCISES_CSV_PATH;
+
+            if (csvPath) {
+                // ... logic continues
+                let resolvedPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), csvPath);
+
+                // Try to handle if resolvedPath doesn't exist but relative to root does (if CWD is server)
+                if (!fs.existsSync(resolvedPath) && !path.isAbsolute(csvPath)) {
+                    const altPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), '..', csvPath);
+                    if (fs.existsSync(altPath)) {
+                        resolvedPath = altPath;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (fs.existsSync(resolvedPath)) {
+                    const content = fs.readFileSync(resolvedPath, 'utf-8');
+                    const lines = content.split(/\r?\n/).filter(l => l.trim().length > 0);
+
+                    if (lines.length > 1) {
+                        const headers = lines[0].split(',').map(h => h.trim());
+                        const exercisesToCreate = [];
+
+                        for (let i = 1; i < lines.length; i++) {
+                            const cols = lines[i].split(',').map(c => c.trim());
+                            if (cols.length < headers.length) continue;
+
+                            const row: any = {};
+                            headers.forEach((h, idx) => row[h] = cols[idx]);
+
+                            if (row.name && row.type) {
+                                exercisesToCreate.push({
+                                    userId: user.id,
+                                    name: row.name,
+                                    type: row.type,
+                                    bodyWeightPercentage: row.bodyWeightPercentage ? parseFloat(row.bodyWeightPercentage) : 0,
+                                    isUnilateral: row.isUnilateral === 'true',
+                                    isArchived: false
+                                });
+                            }
+                        }
+
+                        if (exercisesToCreate.length > 0) {
+                            await prisma.exercise.createMany({
+                                data: exercisesToCreate
+                            });
+                        }
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    console.warn(`[AuthService] Default exercises CSV configured but not found at: ${resolvedPath}`);
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (error) {
+            try { fs.appendFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'auth_debug_custom.log'), `[${new Date().toISOString()}] ERROR: ${error}\n`); } catch (e) { }
+            console.error('[AuthService] Failed to seed default exercises:', error);
+            // Non-blocking error
+        }
+
         const token = jwt.sign({ userId: user.id, role: user.role }, JWT_SECRET);
         const { password: _, ...userSafe } = user;
 
diff --git a/tests/default-exercises.spec.ts b/tests/default-exercises.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98f4c2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/default-exercises.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { test, expect } from './fixtures';
+import { request as playwrightRequest } from '@playwright/test';
+import path from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs';
+
+test('Default Exercises Creation', async ({ createUniqueUser }) => {
+    // 1. Create a user
+    const user = await createUniqueUser();
+
+    // 2. Fetch exercises for the user
+    // Create authenticated context
+    const apiContext = await playwrightRequest.newContext({
+        baseURL: 'http://127.0.0.1:3001',
+        extraHTTPHeaders: {
+            'Authorization': `Bearer ${user.token}`
+        }
+    });
+
+    const exercisesRes = await apiContext.get('/api/exercises');
+    await expect(exercisesRes).toBeOK();
+    const responseJson = await exercisesRes.json();
+    console.log('DEBUG: Fetched exercises response:', JSON.stringify(responseJson, null, 2));
+    const exercises = responseJson.data;
+
+    // 3. Verify default exercises are present
+    // Checking a subset of influential exercises from the populated list
+    const expectedNames = ['Bench Press', 'Squat', 'Deadlift', 'Push-Ups', 'Pull-Ups', 'Running', 'Plank', 'Handstand', 'Sprint', 'Bulgarian Split-Squats'];
+
+    for (const name of expectedNames) {
+        const found = exercises.find((e: any) => e.name === name);
+        expect(found, `Exercise ${name} should exist`).toBeDefined();
+    }
+
+    // 4. Verify properties
+    const dumbbellCurl = exercises.find((e: any) => e.name === 'Dumbbell Curl');
+    expect(dumbbellCurl.isUnilateral).toBe(true);
+    expect(dumbbellCurl.type).toBe('STRENGTH');
+
+    const handstand = exercises.find((e: any) => e.name === 'Handstand');
+    expect(handstand.type).toBe('BODYWEIGHT');
+    expect(handstand.bodyWeightPercentage).toBe(1.0);
+
+    const pushUps = exercises.find((e: any) => e.name === 'Push-Ups');
+    expect(pushUps.bodyWeightPercentage).toBe(0.65);
+});