A man from China has completed the gruelling 'One-Punch Man' workout challenge for 1,000 consecutive days, transforming his life after a period of personal hardship. Li Shuangyong, 36, began the daily routine on 24 August 2021, inspired by the Japanese manga series 'One-Punch Man', where the hero Saitama performs 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats and a 10km run every day.
Shuangyong took on the challenge after his fish farming business collapsed, leaving him in debt and his marriage ending. He said, 'I had to save myself. I could not keep living like that. It could not get any worse.' With no budget for equipment, he ran in shoes costing less than 10 yuan (£1.10) and lived mostly on eggs and instant noodles.
He documented his progress on social media, uploading daily training videos that quickly gained a following in China. Sponsors eventually sent running shoes and supplements, while fans in Taiwan livestreamed his runs and joined him remotely. On 19 July, Shuangyong finished his 1,000-day challenge, having clocked up more than 20,000 kilometres and completed hundreds of thousands of reps of bodyweight exercises.
To mark the milestone, he shaved his head and dressed as Saitama, a tribute that caught the attention of the manga series' creator, who commented, 'Your willpower is incredible! Congratulations.' Shuangyong now plans to attempt a Guinness World Record by running a marathon every day for an entire year, saying he wants to 'amplify hope without limits'.
