Hudson Williams Shares How He Built That Heated Rivalry Physique
Inside the Workout, Diet and Glutes Routine Behind His Viral Transformation
STAFF
Image courtesy of Crave / Bell Media
Heated Rivalry has everyone talking — and not just about the drama on the ice.
One of the series’ most-commented topics has been the athletic and aesthetic transformation of Hudson Williams (who plays hockey player Shane Hollander). In a candid new interview with Vogue, Williams breaks down how he prepared physically for the role — and why fans can’t stop obsessing over that glutes routine.
Williams admits he already worked out regularly when he landed the role, but preparing for Heated Rivalry meant all-in commitment. Anticipating how visible and revealing the series would be, he recalibrated his entire approach to training and nutrition.
He increased his protein intake — featuring staples like ground beef and chicken thighs — and ended up gaining about 10 pounds of lean muscle throughout prep. Then came the workouts: six-day routines built around strength training, plus hockey lessons to keep his athleticism grounded in the sport he portrays on screen.
Where fans really took notice was Williams’ glutes — and he’s openly embraced that spotlight.
He credits tools like the Pitt Shark machine (a glute-focused gym fixture), weighted hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts for serious lower-body growth. Those moves — familiar to strength trainers but now part of pop culture conversation — helped shape what fans have dubbed the Heated Rivalry hockey butt.
Williams even jokes that he’s become a bit of a “glute expert,” recommending variations like banded walks and abductor exercises for anyone serious about building from all angles.
Despite all that work, Williams says one of his biggest regrets is timing: he hadn’t fully transformed by the time an early shower scene was filmed. He says he’s ready to show it off more in Season 2 — if it happens.
That comment has already ignited speculation among fans about future reveals and how his physique might continue to evolve with the show’s popularity.
Whether you’re hitting the gym for health, inspiration or straight-up fandom vibes, Hudson Williams’ Heated Rivalry prep has become a cultural moment of its own — blending athletic dedication with unapologetic body confidence.
And now we want to know:
Are you trying any of Hudson’s suggested exercises — or is there another fitness moment from Heated Rivalry you can’t stop thinking about?