Popular fitness YouTuber Will Tennyson recently shared an arm workout that went far beyond bicep curls and tricep extensions.
In a candid training session, he opened up about fatherhood, emotional health, and why showing affection to sons matters just as much as it does to daughters.
What started as a simple pump-chasing arm day turned into a powerful conversation about masculinity, mental health, and breaking generational patterns.
And the training insights? They’re solid too.
Jump to:
The Arm Workout Blueprint
Tennyson structured his session around alternating bicep and tricep supersets, emphasizing volume over intensity.
He cut his usual three to four sets down to just two sets per exercise, moving quickly between movements with shorter rest periods.
We’re going to do two sets of everything I do. Try and move through it quick cuz the arms love volume.
This approach aligns with emerging research suggesting that total weekly volume matters more than sets per session for muscle growth.
Strategic Exercise Selection
Tennyson kicked things off with semi-pronated curls on a preacher bench, targeting forearms alongside biceps.
All dads have jack forearms, so I can’t disappoint.
His technique included full reps followed by quarter reps with pauses at peak contraction, maximizing time under tension.
For triceps, he utilized decline positioning to enhance the stretch at the bottom of each movement.
When you’re pulling your elbow up like this in a decline position, you’re stretching your tricep even more. So, just getting the most out of being in that position while I’m down there.
The Incline Dumbbell Curl Advantage
Tennyson called out incline dumbbell curls as his favorite bicep exercise, and for good reason.
This will forever be my favorite bicep exercise.
The exercise strengthens biceps in a lengthened position, which research suggests may be superior for hypertrophy compared to shortened-position training.
But Tennyson highlighted an often-overlooked benefit: injury prevention.
It’s not very often you strengthen your bicep in this motion, but you’re often use it and like if something falls or you like panic and grab something and pull, that’s where people tear their biceps.
By training biceps through a full range of motion in a stretched position, he’s building resilience against common injury mechanisms.
Mechanically Advantageous Drop Sets
Tennyson finished with what he dubbed “mechanically advantageous drop sets” instead of traditional weight drops.
On bicep curls, he controlled the tempo until fatigue set in, then increased rep speed to squeeze out additional volume.
For tricep extensions, he started seated with cables pulled back behind him for maximum contraction difficulty, then stood and leaned forward into a stronger position to continue the set.
I’m starting seated back where I’m trying to hold the cables back and pushing them behind me where I’m much weaker, getting into a tighter contraction. And then I’m standing up and leaning forward a bit where I’m stronger.
This technique extends sets without changing weight, maintaining tension while managing fatigue intelligently.
From Girl Dad to Mental Health Advocate
Between sets, Tennyson shared observations from park conversations with other parents that led to deeper reflections.
When parents asked if he’d “try for a boy” after having two daughters, he found himself questioning cultural assumptions about gender and affection.
Honestly, I’m super grateful I had a girl first because I love being a girl dad to like it’s an excuse to be soft and to love more and to show more affection and all these things.
That realization sparked a crucial insight.
But having that thought made me realize, oh wow, little boys need that too.
The Emotional Cost of “Toughness”
Tennyson challenged the notion that boys need to be hardened rather than nurtured, connecting this mindset to broader mental health struggles.
I think a lot of people have sons and they’re like well I need him to be tough. The world’s hard. He got to shape up. If he falls and hurts himself he needs to be tough. But often that just makes a more anxious insecure boy who doesn’t know how to feel or be seen in his emotions so he doesn’t access them.
Research supports his observations. Studies show that emotional suppression in boys correlates with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and aggressive behavior later in life.
When boys aren’t given space to process emotions healthily, those feelings don’t disappear—they transform.
So he suppresses them and then he numbs and then it comes out in anger and has all these other issues.
Safety Creates Strength
Tennyson illustrated his parenting philosophy through a playground example that applies universally.
I also firmly believe that take girl or boy if you want them to be tough in this world they need to feel safe.
Rather than forcing his daughter down a slide when she felt scared, he waited until she felt ready.
But if I wait I go down with her. I carry her down when I’m like we don’t need to do that. I know it’s scary. I get it, but like if you want to try, I’ll hold your hand.
The result? She now runs to slides independently with confidence.
Psychological safety doesn’t create weakness—it builds genuine resilience.
Lessons From Fatherhood Applied Inward
Perhaps most powerfully, Tennyson recognized how parenting reveals patterns we carry ourselves.
She just had the tantrum, feels the emotion, and then I’m there to support her through the emotion. But I’m like, when I experience this, I need to support myself through the emotion in the same way I do her.
He acknowledged giving his daughter far more grace than he extends to himself.
This mirrors findings in self-compassion research: people who practice self-compassion show better mental health outcomes, yet many find it easier to show kindness to others than themselves.
Was a very eye opening experience to have children. It’s been a huge blessing. Challenging one, but a huge one.
Key Takeaways
Tennyson’s session offered practical training wisdom alongside emotional intelligence:
- Volume drives arm growth: Multiple sets with shorter rest can be more effective than fewer, longer sessions
- Train stretched positions: Exercises like incline curls build muscle and reduce injury risk
- Mechanical drop sets work: Changing body position extends sets without equipment changes
- Boys need affection too: Emotional support isn’t weakness—it prevents long-term mental health struggles
- Safety enables courage: Children (and adults) take risks when they feel supported, not forced
- Self-compassion matters: Treat yourself with the same kindness you’d show a child learning something difficult
What started as an arm workout became something more valuable: a reminder that strength isn’t just physical.
Real toughness comes from feeling safe enough to be vulnerable.
