THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON that is Heated Rivalry has brought an intense focus on its main cast, all of whom took on the unique challenge of transforming their bodies to realistically portray ice hockey superstars—and, more importantly for the show’s spicier scenes, sex symbols. Along with the duo of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, François Arnaud undertook the journey to embody a character that required him to change his physique to look like someone who has “never read a book.”
This was a big shift for the 40-year-old Canadian actor, who plays American hockey captain Scott Hunter on the show. “For the longest time, I think I was afraid of working out too much,” he said when he visited the MH Fitness Hub to show off his exercise routine. “Now, this year in particular, my whole outlook on it kind of changed.”
Arnaud was focused on both the physical aspect of his performance—making sure that he could convincingly handle the skating in hockey scenes—while also filling out the uniform and looking the part once the pads and everything else came off. “I knew I was never going to have the thighs of a professional hockey player, because they have tree trunks, but I sure did try,” he said.
He achieved his goals by combining full-body training in the gym with a consistent running regimen. But lots of his work took place outside the gym, on the ice. Arnaud and his castmates learned how to skate and perform like hockey stars from the real thing, former pro player and current stunt coordinator Cam Fergus. Arnaud had a great experience right up til the end, when he slipped and sliced open his hand on the final scene. Still, he feels like he did well—even if he’s self-deprecating as he compares his skills to his colleagues.
“Connor kind of skates like an Olympian, and Hudson skates hockey-style,” he said. “And I just wing it, like with everything else.”
Check out the full clip for Arnaud’s routine, along with his thoughts on social media, the public reception of Heated Rivalry—”a mass psychosis event”—and more.
François Arnaud's Upper Body Heated Rivalry Workout
Hanging Leg Lifts, 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Wide-Grip Pullup, 3 sets of 10 reps
Triceps Pressdown, 3 sets of 10 reps
Biceps Curl, 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Lateral Raise, 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
