Award-winning actor, writer, filmmaker, and TV host Peter Bundic is known to millions for his reoccurring role as Carl Tapper in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but he’s been acting up a storm since the age of seven. Now at age 23, the Hollywood star likes to switch up his workout routine to keep things fresh, and is currently maintaining his physique with a strength training split that gives his entire body a weekly workout. M&F sat down with Bundic, who plays Fibs in Tubi’s new horror-thriller,Trap Houseto find out how and why Bundic loves to get his sweat on.
“I grew up playing all kinds of sports,” says Bundic. “Playing soccer since I was, like, five. I played American football once I got into high school, and track, basketball, wrestling. I played for Team BC and Team Canada with American football, which was super-fun, and I got to go and play in the United States a few times. I played in Miami on the Fourth of July, one year, which was really cool. Since I played soccer, I was also the kicker on the football team, but I’ve played a lot of defense, and a little bit of running back, and receiver as well.”
Pooya Nabei
Peter Bundic’s Training Regimen is Rooted in Maintenance
Peter Bundic is a huge bodybuilding fan, and cites Arnold Schwarzenegger as one of his biggest influences, but the actor is not training for the Olympia stage. Instead, he understands that in order to play a wide array of roles, he requires a training regime that is rooted in maintenance. “I’m very much like a mesomorph,” he explains. “I can put on weight, and lose weight pretty quickly.” No doubt, the “Be Ready to Stay Ready,” mantra is something that Bundic has kept at the forefront of his mind since he was asked with little notice to go shirtless in a scene on “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” It’s an experience has stayed with him ever since. “I was 17 … I found out less than a week before shooting, so it was just like ‘okay, gotta get ready to go!’” Bundic hit the sauna, got some solid workouts in, and prepared as best he could in the time given. “Then in one of the other seasons, I got really lean, because there was another shirtless scene in there,” he says. “I had really low body fat, abs, and everything, and then something changed on the day and I had to be in a sweater!”
With a “Young Entertainer” Award under his belt for Best Young Actor for the short film, Pirates, Bundic’s love of film, both in front of and behind the camera, knows no bounds. As a self-professed ball of energy, here’s how Bundic releases some of his creativity when not on set. The following workout is based on the actors’ football training, while implementing some additional moves. “I train to maintain, and build strength slowly,” he explains.
The Peter Bundic ‘Movie Maintenance’ Workout
Sticking with the principle of maintenance training, Peter Bundic generally executes the following exercises with three sets of six to eight repetitions. Depending on his desired shape for an upcoming role, Bundic can add further mass by increasing the weight. Currently, he lifts 70-80% of his one-rep-max, but can increase this to 80-100% when trying to bulk-up. “I want a weight that I can control, but still lift with intensity,” he says.
Monday: Push Day
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Shoulder Press
Triceps Dips
French Press
Triceps Pushdowns
Pushups (As Many Reps As You Can to finish)
Tuesday: Pull Day
Pullups
Bentover Barbell Row
Lat Pull downs
Rear Delt Flye
Hammer Curl
Preacher Curl
Farmer’s Carry
Wednesday: Legs
Backward Treadmill Walk: 5-10 min. to warmup
Back Squats
Hamstring Curls
Quad Extensions
Calf Raises
3 sets of Planks
Peter Bundic repeats this rotation for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Sunday he likes to rest and recover, although he can always be tempted to throw in a game of soccer since he plays on a team with the Actors Union in Vancouver. For the plank, the star says that he likes to execute each one for the duration of a song on his gym playlist, and shares that he loves electronic dance music. You will also notice that Bundic likes to perform his warmup treadmill walk backwards. “I picked that up from Ben Patrick, the ‘Knees Over Toes Guy’” he says. “It has great benefits on knee health and athletic performance!”
Hollywood is full of highs and lows, and the fear of rejection is a reality for any working actor that is honing his craft, but fortunately, a love of sports and lifting weights has given Bundic both the physical and mental tools that are required for success. While the star boasts boyish good looks, his turns in “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “Trap House” have allowed him to play layered and conflicted characters. Still, he tells M&F that he wouldn’t say no to putting on some serious mass in the future, in order to play a Marvel or D.C. superhero. Despite the pressures of a career on screen, Bundic seems to have it all figured out. “Take the losses on the chin,” he says. “Because you’re not going to win every battle, but as long as you’re doing everything that you can, that’s what you have to do. Put yourself in the best position to win, then let the cards fall as they may.
