Extending his body of work

"I am now acutely aware of where my mission lies," he says.

Liu has now become a household name with online Chinese, particularly among fitness enthusiasts.

Last year, during the period of social distancing induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, Liu took to online platforms to livestream indoor workout sessions for viewers.

During these sessions, he demonstrated fitness routines that were both easy to follow and scientifically structured. Most of them were choreographed to Chou's fast-paced songs such as Compendium of Materia Medica.

And the interactions between him and his wife, Wang Wanfei, who enthusiastically followed his movements and occasionally, jokingly exhibited signs of exhaustion, brought an element of fun to the proceedings.

Consequently, his following on the short-video platform Douyin surged from fewer than 6 million to 69 million, and with a contagiously positive energy, he ignited a spark that now propels his live sessions, which have become a sensation since they started last April.

Riding the wave of the Chinese fitness craze, Liu has made clear that his life's mission lies in promoting healthy lifestyles among a larger group of people.

To achieve the goal, he recently released a book, Freedom Comes With Fitness, to encourage more people to embrace a healthier and happier life.

In the book, he divulges wisdom accumulated from three decades of personal fitness experience, along with the guiding principles he upholds.

He believes that the true enjoyment of self-discipline can only emerge once people have tapped into their own intrinsic motivation.

"As we dive into our fitness journey, we grab the reins of our lives and weave that unwavering determination and persistence into every detail. It's this natural drive that fuels our readiness to tough it out, giving us the chance to savor the freedom that comes with embracing self-discipline," he writes in the book.

He doesn't advocate exercising solely for the purpose of losing weight. Instead, he wants everyone to relish the joy of moving itself.

He also hopes that people will become more supportive and willing to encourage those around them to start exercising on a daily basis.

Reflecting on his childhood, he fondly remembers his father taking him out to play basketball.

Now, as a father of three children, he believes that sports make for joyful family activities.

Meanwhile, Wang has also released a book to share her personal stories of weight loss and the family's diet recipes.