‘Loser' turns hero: Village man builds stunning body following Japanese manga anime character's workout routine

Mint

4 days ago

Li Shuangyong from Shandong, China, once called himself a 'loser'. He was born in a village. His fish farming business failed, leaving him in debt. He was divorced.
Feeling lost, he spent his days without purpose until he discovered the Japanese manga One-Punch Man. The hero, Saitama, is a broke, bald man who lives in a shabby flat. Saitama trains daily, not for fame or revenge, but to be a hero. After three years, Saitama could beat any monster with one punch.
Li found inspiration and followed Saitama's workout routine for 1,000 days. His body transformation drew over one million followers on Chinese social media. Li's journey from despair to discipline has made him an online inspiration.
Li followed the intense training of anime hero Saitama: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats and a 10 km run daily.
The 36-year-old began his own journey on August 24, 2021, aiming for 1,000 days. His biggest struggle was money. He ran in shoes costing less than 10 yuan (about ₹ 122) and survived on eggs and instant noodles.
'I had to save myself. I could not keep living like that. It could not get any worse,' the South China Morning Post quoted Li as saying.
Li recorded his progress and posted it online, which inspired many. His story attracted sponsors, helping him continue his routine and inspire others with his dedication.
Fans sent him shoes and supplements. A Taiwan fan group even live-streamed his runs and trained with him online.
'I cannot believe he turned an anime workout into real life. That takes insane discipline,' SCMP quoted a social media user as saying.
Another commented, 'Li's determination is inspiring, but most people should stick to more balanced, science-backed fitness and nutrition plans.'
Li met his girlfriend during a marathon, who encouraged him throughout. On July 19, Li completed his 1,000-day challenge, running over 20,000 km and doing more than a million exercises.
His body became strong, his outlook positive. To celebrate the final day, he shaved his head and dressed as Saitama to pay tribute to the manga hero.
Li now plans to run a marathon every day for one year and create a Guinness World Record, the publication added.