Principal Huang (center) doing push-up challenge with his students on Thursday. Photo: web

A school in eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou has set up monthly students-principal challenge in a bid to encourage the youngsters to exercise more after the headmaster put his students to shame. 

The student union at Anjilu Experiment School proposed a push-up challenge to the school's 53-year-old principal Huang Xiong, the Beijing News reported on Saturday. 

Huang accepted the challenge and offered the students a couple of homework-free days if they won, which got the students' attention.

Some one hundred students from Grade 6 to 9 joined the challenge, but none could match Huang's 50 push-ups. 

The event has led the school to hold the students-principal challenge every second Friday every month. 

Huang said he hopes his students will develop their own exercise regime, grow stronger and get into better shape, rather than only work out for physical exams.

Global Times