Kit Connor is no stranger to transforming his physique. The 22-year-old packed on considerable muscle during his time on Netflix’s Heartstopper, and now he has another superhero-sized role on the horizon.
Connor has been cast as Cyclops in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot, joining a new generation of mutants heading to the MCU. And while we don’t yet know exactly what his physical preparation for the role will involve, a recent gym photo suggests he’s certainly not getting any smaller.
Connor had previously been tipped by some fans as a potential successor to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, but he’ll instead take on the role of Scott Summers, aka Cyclops.
The character was previously played by James Marsden in the original X-Men films – with Marsden returning for Avengers: Doomsday – and later by Tye Sheridan in the younger iteration of the franchise.
We’ve seen Connor putting in serious gym work before, but the actor has now shown off an increasingly muscular physique in a new mirror shot from the gym, with his arms in particular looking considerably bigger.
Connor has been training with personal trainer Mark Humphreys, although there’s currently no suggestion that his latest progress is specifically part of his preparation to play Cyclops.
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How Kit Connor Builds Muscle
While we don’t yet know how Connor’s training might change ahead of X-Men, which is currently slated for release in May 2027, he has previously given Men’s Health an insight into the workouts behind his physique.
‘I normally train with dumbbells, so I haven’t done a bench press in quite a while,’ he told our colleagues at Men’s Health US.
‘I usually do 3 sets of 12 reps for most exercises, maybe 4,’ Connor explained.
His training split has evolved over time, too. ‘I used to do push, pull, legs, but I was only training legs once a week… Then I decided to switch to shoulders and arms, chest and back, and finally legs.’
Exactly what Cyclops will demand of him remains to be seen. But judging by Connor’s recent progress, Marvel certainly isn’t starting with a blank canvas.
