'Barbie' star Simu Liu shared how he stays in shape, and it doesn't involve a grueling gym routine

• Simu Liu doesn't like lifting weights or care about getting swole, hold told GQ.
• Instead, the actor prefers shooting hoops with his friends.

Simu Liu brought his best Kenergy to the big screen in this summer's blockbuster hit, "Barbie," showing off his dance moves and fit physique.

However, in his own life, the actor is surprisingly relaxed about his fitness, shunning a strict workout regime in favor of playing sport with his friends.

Liu told GQ in an interview published on September 7 that he is "relatively undisciplined" when it comes to his workouts. "I don't live for the gym. I don't live to lift and get swole," he said.

That's not to say Liu doesn't commit when he needs to get in shape for a role — for that he favors HIIT and works so hard he feels close to passing out, he said. When training for "Barbie," Liu and the rest of the cast did weight lifting and pilates, as well as dance practice, the movie's trainer David Higgins previously told Insider.

But Liu, having grown up playing volleyball, basketball, and rugby, prefers to keep fit and active outside of the gym.

"I put a home gym in my garage, which I use relatively infrequently, but I have a basketball net in my driveway, which I shoot hoops on every single day," he said.

Liu and his friends regularly meet up to play sports, and he enjoys getting competitive and being part of a team, he said.

"That to me is far more important than lifting X-amount or benching this much," he said. "It's about range of motion, getting a sweat on, and spending time with friends."

When possible, Liu also enjoys coastal activities such as scuba-diving, water-skiing, and cliff-jumping, he said.

Liu isn't a picky eater

When it comes to diet and nutrition, Liu said he has a fast metabolism and eats anything but particularly loves foods from Asian cuisines such as dumplings, steamed rice, and beef stir-fry.

However, he does intermittent fast, aiming to eat all his food in an eight-hour window every day and fast the rest of the time.

"It's just more about making the most out of your meals and still getting the tasty meals that I love — because I love food — but just not eating too late into the night," Liu said.