Leaders Spotlight : Litchi Zhang
In our 10th year of sweating and connecting we are sharing stories from our dedicated and passionate volunteers.
Introducing Litchi Zhang one of our volunteer leaders in Beijing. With a career in football and love of outdoor workouts, Litchi has now reached over 500 FitFam workouts.
Tell us about yourself
I am a Beijinger. I joined FitFam in July 2020. During that year, I was staying in Beijing and Shanghai, going back and forth. I heard about FitFam from Marco when I was in Shanghai.
Your first FitFam workout
My first FitFam session was at a CrossFit gym in Beijing, as part of a collaboration between FitFam and the gym. I brought along a friend who's also a football referee - she ended up joining the gym as a member. Personally, I've always preferred outdoor workouts, so my second session left a much stronger impression on me. That one took place at Xujiahui Park in Shanghai. It was my second FitFam workout, but my first outdoor one, led by Michael at 7 am. I'd never realized early morning workouts could feel so wonderful. From that point on, I became a regular FitFam member.
The FitFam Impact
Fitness has become a lifestyle that helps me release pressure from work. Then there was this one time - I almost got hit by a car while cycling. The car was turning, and I was riding straight through the intersection. In the past, I wouldn't have reacted fast enough to avoid the impact, and my right leg would have been hit. But this time, I reacted quickly - I jumped off the bike to the left side and walked away without a single injury.
I truly believe sports made that possible. Regular training sharpens reflexes, improves body awareness, and trains to make split-second decisions under pressure. Mind and body learn to work together without hesitation. That kind of instinct doesn't come from nowhere - it's built every time you pushed through a workout, every coordination of movements, every time you stay calm when your muscles are burning. It's not about building muscle or looking good. It heals your mental health. It saves lives.
Becoming a FitFam leader
When I reached my 200th workout, I led a football-themed session in Shanghai based on Michael's idea. To be honest, I wasn't sure about it when he first proposed it - even though I was coaching football at a youth club. At the club, every participant signed up with some football background, and we provided properly sized balls, equipment, and a proper pitch. But with FitFam, I would be doing this session in a public park. I couldn't set up anything properly with just a few cones. We had about five balls in total, and one of them was even a basketball. So I had my doubts.
But it turned out to be incredibly fun and engaging. Seeing people with no experience in the sport enjoy themselves so much was amazing. It wasn't about the facilities, the equipment, or any of that. It was about the beauty of the sport itself and the enthusiasm of every positive individual who showed up to make it work. That experience made me truly happy - I was able to bring joy to the participants.
Then, in July 2023, leader Cindy invited me to become a leader myself. I did a few sessions
as an intern, and since then, I have completed more than 500 workouts with FitFam.
Why become a FitFam leader?
For people who are hesitant to join as a participant: There's zero cost to join. Since you pay nothing, there's no possibility of losing anything — you only stand to gain things like happiness, mutual support, and a good sweat! I understand that for your first time, you might feel some social anxiety because you don't know anyone. So bring a friend with you! That's exactly what I did when I went for my first session.
And for people who are hesitant to become a leader: I totally get it. Being a leader means taking on responsibilities. It means you need to be a role model - you can never be late, you have to plan sessions, and so on. That said, it's also a great way to keep yourself disciplined and organized. Give it a few tries. There's no harm in trying. You can always choose to be a participant for some sessions and only lead the ones you feel comfortable with.
Favorite Sweat and Connect moments
FF's annual birthday celebrated in Shanghai at the West Bund was so nice, HIIT and Run followed by a shared potluck brunch together.
The FitFam Beijing community is smaller, but very tightly knit. It feels really a family, we have shared so many memorable moments together.
Anything else you would like to share?
I am actually an introvert, though nobody around me now would believe so. As I've aged, I've become better at building connections with people, but back six years ago, I had a lot of social fear. I would only work out and then go home. I started talking with people after doing many workouts together, and being a leader kind of pushed me to step out of my comfort zone — to start talking to people and make sure everyone feels good during the workout.
I've so far done more than 10 trail races and 3 half marathons. I don't think I would have approached these races without knowing people from FitFam who are fond of them. They are another type of unique experience. I really appreciate that I found these races to participate in through doing FitFam workouts. They mean a lot to me.
To join FitFam Beijing, access the FitFam mini program via wechat.