CommunityTraining & Muscle

I need help optimizing my workout routine.

55 replies15 peopleMay 19, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

How to fix wrist pain from lifting while optimizing a 6-day beginner split?

The original poster reports rapid strength gains on a custom 6-day split but is limited by left wrist pain during pressing movements due to bent-wrist positioning. Replies focus on form correction, wrist supports, rest or peptide-based recovery, and shifting to a simpler PPL or upper/lower structure that avoids pre-fatiguing smaller muscles. Several users stress treating the wrist issue first before chasing further progression.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

Whether to rest the wrist, use peptides, or train through mild discomfort with better form.

Still open

Exact diagnosis of the wrist issue and whether the poster should add more peptides while already on reta.

Nothing here is advice.

55 replies · 15 people · page 1 of 2
IronAlder37archiveopening postMay 19

Been training six days a week for three months straight. Strength is up a lot. My split is basically the second half of the week on an Arnold style. I will attach a picture of the days and the moves for each group. Still new but I think I have the basics down. Really need ideas on the wrist pain because it holds me back hard. Benchmarks on matrix machines: preacher curl 73 kg, tricep pushdown 37.5 kg, lat pulldown 93 kg heading to 103 next week, incline smith 30 kg per side but left wrist drops me to 25 kg with pain, pec fly 120 kg, shoulder press 40 kg per side but wrist limits me to 30 kg with more pain. Ask if you want numbers on anything else. What should I change or keep?

SlowSignal40archiveMay 19

Fix the wrist first. What is actually wrong with it? Wolverine or GLOW might help.

QuietSignal61archiveMay 19

Try BPC at half a milligram two or three times daily plus one milligram each of cartalax and KPV every day for the wrist. Once you know how the BPC feels add TB4 or TB500 at three to five milligrams weekly.

PatientAlder89archiveMay 19

A cortisone shot could calm the wrist pain. You might also need to rest it for a while so it can heal.

CopperMarble29archiveMay 19
↳ replying to @IronAlder37 (opening post)

The guy asked for routine help and everyone jumps straight to more peptides. Tell me your actual goals. Trying to drop weight, get stronger, add size, or just look better?

BlueKettle52archiveMay 19
↳ replying to @CopperMarble29

I had the same wrist trouble a few months into training. Dropped the weight, slowed the reps, and focused on strict form and control. That fixed it. Same thing happened with my left shoulder on bench. I stopped ego lifting, kept reps in the ten to fifteen range to failure, and the joint pain went away. Now I train daily on a PPL split for two hours with zero pain. What rep range are you using right now?

SlowSignal40archiveMay 19

All those lift numbers are fine but wrist pain makes them pointless. I had wrist injuries including a bad one. The sidewinder finally sorted it after years of nothing else working. The wrist is a small but critical joint for upper body work. Fixing it made it one of my favorite areas to train.

ClearThistle78archiveMay 19

Rest the wrist and stop worrying about perfect optimization. Find moves that do not hurt. The best routine is the one you can actually keep doing. No progress if the wrist knocks you out of training.

BlueKettle52archiveMay 19
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

I assumed the pain started after consistent training began. If it is new then the form and rep advice should help. If it was already there before training then it might be something medical like arthritis and peptides could be worth considering.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 19
↳ replying to @BlueKettle52

I did not think about when the pain started. If it is just from training strain then pushing through with fixes might work, but the big strength drop and pain numbers sound more like an injury or one developing. He still needs to strengthen the wrist but should get it checked soon.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 19

There is a specific wrist injury called TFCC that is tough to deal with. Hope it is not that.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 20

Forgot to mention one tool I keep in my gym bag. You have wrist pain so something similar should help even though I use it for a different reason. See if you can find one locally.

PlainQuill53archiveMay 20

The workout is decent but a bit complicated and some parts overlap. Wrist pain has to come first though. If you cannot hold the weight properly you will not get much out of the session and you risk creating imbalances later. Wrist wraps can add compression and stability. Lifting straps with a D ring let you take the grip out of certain moves so your back does not give out before your grip does. You are already on a modified PPLUL split which is solid. The lower days look long and lack direct hamstring work while repeating a press pattern. Swap one press for leg curls or hyperextensions or alternate the press each session.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

The pain hits when my wrist bends at ninety degrees during shoulder press or bench. Thanks for the video but I am not ready to add more peptides yet. I am only on reta because that is the one I researched. Once I look into others I will start them. Goal is to lose fat while keeping or adding muscle.

QuietSignal61archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

Anytime. Sounds like HGH or ipa/tesa would speed up the fat loss and muscle gain.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @BlueKettle52

Not ego lifting, just bad wrist position. I know the wrist should stay straight but after a few reps it bends again. Pain started once I moved past thirty five kilos on incline and flat bench. I test one rep maxes at the start, use sixty five percent, aim for eight clean reps, then add two point five kilos once I hit nine or ten. Lately I stretch and do wrist curls before chest and shoulders. I do not want shoulders to fall behind though. Pain only began a month ago as I got stronger on certain moves.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

I already have wrist straps and hooks to reduce pressure while I train the wrist separately. The leg day names were guessed by an AI from my descriptions so some were off. I do hyperextensions now and dropped a couple redundant moves in favor of compounds. I think the split is called a batman split or something. Fixing the wrist is priority so I do not stall the progress I have made in three months.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @QuietSignal61

Still only on reta. I have looked at HGH because I want to go from six three to six five or six six. I would need an AI like skeldev or erdafitnib but those can affect eyesight so I am unsure. I think fixing anterior pelvic tilt and losing fat might let me reach six five naturally. Can you explain tesa and ipa in detail including dosing and how to stack with reta? I will research more later.

QuietSignal61archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

I was mostly joking about the peptide suggestions. Ipa and tesa are growth hormone secretagogues that boost natural pulses at night or morning. Some people prefer them over HGH because they avoid blood glucose testing. Tesa has solid research and approval history. I do not know much about aromatase inhibitors. Peptides generally do not interact much with each other or with reta, though some supplements should be avoided with it.

ClearThistle78archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

Try neutral grip pull ups, neutral grip push ups with dumbbells as handles, and dips. My shoulder and wrists were weak and those changes helped the shoulder feel better and improved grip without aggravating the wrists.

BlueLantern84archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37 (opening post)

I do not like the current routine. As a beginner you do not need a dedicated arms and shoulders day. Doing biceps isolation before bigger compounds does not make sense either. Wrist curls are unnecessary with an active wrist issue. Compound moves already hit the arms, so your split ends up training arms on consecutive days. A standard push pull legs or upper lower would be cleaner. Start with compounds and add isolation at the end if time allows. Good job on the strength progress though.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @QuietSignal61

I will check those out. I would consider HGH but do not know where to begin. TikTok videos about height with certain inhibitors are confusing. I am one hundred twenty kilos at six three with high body fat. A month ago I could not do a pull up, now I can do one. Push ups are fifteen to twenty but wrist pain limits them. Dips at body weight seem tough but I will try the variations. Left shoulder clicks on lateral raises. I want to keep both isolation and compounds because the pump keeps me motivated.

KeenKettle50archiveMay 20

No hate on peptides but what is the goal, size, cut, or strength? Have you seen a physical therapist? The routine does not seem clear. Good training needs eight to twelve rep ranges for growth, hitting muscles three times a week or ten to twenty sets total, and controlled eccentrics. Trying to add weight too fast leads to reps that are too low to be useful. Seventy three kilos on preacher curls is heavy for small biceps. Stop adding peptides until the wrist is sorted.

PatientFenwick39archiveMay 20

You are still new so try lots of exercise variations and note what feels good. Optimization comes later. See a doctor about the wrist. Or just train hard and add more substances.

KeenKettle50archiveMay 20

Wish I lived somewhere steroids were legal. Acne and liver damage would be worth it if it helped attract people.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @KeenKettle50

I am not adding weight every week, just progressing from beginner gains. I already follow the three components you listed. Goal is fat loss even if some muscle drops. I started lifting to build a base so I would not look off after cutting. Seventy three kilos on preacher curls is twelve controlled reps. People at the gym think it is ego lifting until they see it. I could do more weight with bad form for low reps but I keep it where I can control it cleanly.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @KeenKettle50

I would rather avoid steroids. Genetics seem decent so a year or so of work should give a good look. Not chasing maximum size, just want to drop fat.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @QuietSignal61

Planning to buy BPC. Can you explain more about it? Also explain the wolverine and glow stacks I have heard of them but need more details. I will look into buying later.

ClearThistle78archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

The best routine is the one you enjoy and will stick with. Ignore anyone who says there is only one correct way. Pick what you like and stay consistent.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @ClearThistle78

I agree that enjoyment matters but I still need to follow basic training principles.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

From later posts it looks like the wrist issue is from uneven strength gains causing imbalance rather than an injury. Wanting to grow taller suggests you are still young. There is an age when wrist bones finish developing. One clear mistake in the routine is training forearms before a major muscle group. Do forearm work after. Forearms respond to high intensity and high volume. Strengthen the wrist with grippers, sledgehammer raises, plate pinches, or similar tools.

QuietSignal61archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

BPC is straightforward. It seems to improve blood flow to areas that normally get little. I started at two hundred fifty micrograms three times a day then moved to five hundred twice a day. Soreness and aches dropped quickly. Back pain eased. Some sexual health benefits too. Most people use one milligram daily split in two doses for one or two months then cycle off. TB4 is coming next. It is pricier and harder to find but acts like a fuller version of TB500. Typical dose is three to five milligrams weekly and it pairs well with BPC for muscle recovery. More people report sides from TB than from BPC.

CopperMarble29archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

BPC probably will not help much because the wrist is likely not injured, just unconditioned for heavy loading. Wrist pain can happen when strength outpaces wrist stability. Condition it with less stressful variations like switching to hammer curls or dumbbell pressing. Drop the smith incline and use barbell or dumbbells only for a month. Switch to a three day push pull legs and add mixed upper and lower days if training five times. The current split hits arms too often.

CopperMarble29archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

I sent a direct message. I want to help with the routine.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 20

Do not do any pressing move without first doing JM press. Master that.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

I will try those exercises. Did not know about the wrist bone development timing so I will check that too. I am eighteen. At six three I would like to reach six four or six five naturally if possible. BPC might just mask the issue instead of fixing the underlying weakness from skipping forearm work earlier. My dad has joint pain and I thought BPC could help him but for me it is probably just strength imbalance.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

I love JM press. Everyone else at the gym complains about it but it hits the triceps hard and I like the feeling. I keep strict form so people sometimes ask me to check their form. That is why it stung when others assumed I was ego lifting.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

Do not remind me. I hit six three at thirteen and a doctor gave cortisone that stopped my height growth. Collagen and BPC together act like a recovery stack. BPC speeds recovery so you can train forearms four days a week. JM press also thickens elbow tendons and helps prevent tendonitis. Ego is part of being a lifter. Nothing wrong with wanting to conquer the weights.

IronAlder37archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

There are cases of growth plates reopening. I will look into more peptides including BPC and GHK CU. JM press and tricep pushdowns sometimes give a slight twinge in the elbows. I could lift heavier on biceps but it would require bracing that hurts my sides so I stay at a controlled weight. That last line you wrote was hilarious.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 20
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

As a new lifter this is the easiest time to build tendon strength. I am not a fan of twelve to fifteen reps except for small muscles like forearms and calves. Strength work is better for most movements.

IronAlder37archiveMay 21
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

I know I do not want to train for endurance. The wrist limits me to lighter weights so I end up doing higher reps on those moves. I will look up tendon hyperplasia. Thanks for all the help so far.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 21
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

When I had wrist trouble I used wraps to keep the joint stable while still training, then added cuffs later.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 21
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

Search my older posts for the tendon training plan. Thirty grams of collagen, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and specific time under tension work.

IronAlder37archiveMay 21
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

I have wrist wraps but they seem more for show than real support. I also have hooks with a wrist strap for pulls but I am not sure if they stabilize the joint or just attach the hook.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 21
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

Those will not work. You need a wrap that holds the fist or palm firmly.

IronAlder37archiveMay 21
↳ replying to @SlowSignal40

Searching hundreds of posts will take time. Can you link the best ones? I am mainly looking for wrist straps right now, not cuffs.

SlowSignal40archiveMay 21
↳ replying to @IronAlder37

Use the search function. Look for bamboo wrist sleeves or adjustable wrist wraps that provide compression and support during training.

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