- A loser turned himself into a hero that inspires others, all thanks to a comic book.
When people are down in the dumps, they often need a little bit of inspiration to start getting back up again. Sometimes, that inspiration can come from a surprising source.
Like manga, for example.
Li Shuangyong from China was, and not to put too fine a point to it, a loser. His business had failed, his wife had left him, and he was ridden with debt.
Li was steadily approaching the end of his rope when he found the manga (that is, Japanese comic book) called One Punch Man. The story details an everyday Joe’s inexplicable journey to becoming the world’s strongest superhero by following a seemingly mundane workout routine.
If the loser in the comic could turn into the mightiest of men, why not Li?
So he started following the manga character’s fitness regimen. Three years later, and Li is now a muscle-bound Adonis who aims to break the Guinness World Record for most marathons run in a year.
The next time someone makes fun of you for looking up to comic book heroes, don’t pay them any mind. If it motivates you to turn your life around, it’s all well and good.
A Year of Failures
Li Shuangyong lives in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong. His life has never been particularly easy for him, as he was born into a poor farming family in a small rural village.
Still, he did fine enough for himself. He got married and started his own fish farm.
And then it all came crashing down. In 2021, his fishy business failed.
Trying to salvage his collapsing company, Li borrowed increasing amounts of money which he couldn’t pay back. He became racked with debt — and his wife didn’t like being married to a broke man.
So, in the same year, she walked out. At 36 years old, Li felt like his life was worth nothing.
Calling himself a “life loser,” he seemed to have lost all motivation. He spent his days moping around, consuming whatever media he got his hands on.
And then he came across One Punch Man.
‘I Had to Save Myself’
One Punch Man is a popular superhero manga series revolving around Saitama. He’s the world’s most powerful hero and the titular one punch man — he beats any monster or supervillain that gets in his way with a single punch.
However, Saitama wasn’t always the way he is. He started out as a complete loser, working a dead-end job for a pittance and living in a run-down apartment in an abandoned neighborhood.
Eventually, he decides to turn his life around and he starts training to become a hero. His exercise regimen consists of 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats, topped off with 10-kilometer (around six-mile) run every single day.
Li found the initially pathetic Saitama relatable. That’s when he got the thought — could he turn his life around in the same way?
He might as well try, considering he had nothing to lose.
“I had to save myself. I could not keep living like that. It could not get any worse,” Li told South China Morning Post.
An Arduous Journey
So, Li started following Saitama’s exercise program, resolving to keep it up for 1,000 days. However, although it sounds mundane, the comic book character’s training scheme is actually pretty hardcore.
Li found that out the hard way. Initially, he could only do a few pushups before his arms gave out, and running just a mile left him wheezing on the sidewalk.
Additionally, he struggled with money. He used the cheapest running shoes he could buy and virtually lived on eggs and instant noodles.
He also started posting about his journey on Chinese social media. His first posts weren’t popular.
After all, they showed a loser running out of breath after taking a few running steps.
Yet Li kept at it, and started seeing results. As his physical fitness improved, he started attracting fans — and, best of all, sponsors.
Soon enough, Li found himself enjoying workouts. On some days, he completed his six-mile run and (kind of like Forrest Gump) just kept running.
One of his biggest hit videos came when he supersized his daily job and ran 60 miles. Li found himself transformed into an inspiring star on social media.
He certainly dragged himself out of the hole.
Becoming the Hero
On July 19, 2025, Li’s self-imposed challenge came to an end. He completed his 1,000-day training program.
To celebrate, he created a special video for social media. Dressed up in One Punch Man’s superhero costume — consisting of a yellow jumpsuit, red gloves, and a white cape — he announced that he had finished his goal.
He even shaved his head to look more like his hero Saitama.
Li’s not done, however. He may not be an all-powerful superhero, but he’s aiming to be the best in one way. Now, he’s resolved to set a new Guinness World Record by running a marathon every single day for an entire year.
Li is very grateful for all his fans, but he warns that nobody should imitate him blindly. He recognizes that his extreme workout routine is pretty nuts and says that it could seriously damage your health if done wrong.
Still, he has inspired people, much like Saitama inspired him. Word of Li’s transformation even reached the Japanese writer ONE, the creator of One Punch Man, who sent congratulations to Li on X (the social platform previously known as Twitter).
That must’ve felt great for the guy.
