Empowering Youth Through Judo: How Teacher Xiang Shihao is Transforming Physical Education at Zhoukaiquan Primary School

That provincial success stems from a calculated institutional approach to judo education, spearheaded by 32-year-old physical education teacher Xiang Shihao. Born in 1994, Xiang first connected with sports through the encouragement of an elementary school teacher, a mentorship that planted the seed for his career in education. After graduating in 2018, he returned to his hometown, where he taught while helping the Sihui Judo Association promote its "Judo into Campuses" initiative. He joined Zhou Kaiquan Primary School in 2021 to lead its specialized sports programming.

Building a Campus-Wide Judo Culture

With backing from the school leadership team, Xiang and the physical education department introduced a school-wide judo calisthenics program. Records show the school has trained more than 120 student judo leaders who guide practices. Every Monday features an intensive training session, while daily mid-morning breaks give the entire student body time for segmented practice drills.

To widen participation, the school implements a tiered rollout. Targeted after-school judo interest classes operate during staggered hours for third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students, introducing them to judo etiquette and technical fundamentals. Regular open classes run in 40-minute blocks, teaching self-defense skills and foundational movements.

Structured Training and Measurable Progress

Building on the school-wide rollout, Xiang utilizes a dual selection process. He runs a specialized judo exhibition at the start of each semester to spark sign-ups, then selects standout students from regular classes and interest groups for the school judo team. The varsity team maintains a strict training schedule, holding morning sessions from 7:20 to 8:00 AM daily, alongside evening sessions from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Monday through Thursday.

In standard physical education classes, Xiang applies individualized instruction. Lessons begin with judo calisthenics and warm-up jogs, incorporate auxiliary exercises like tuck jumps and squats, cover curriculum requirements, and conclude with a 5-to-10-minute full-body conditioning block. According to reports, these training methods have yielded measurable physical gains for students, with many shifting from an inability to complete a single push-up to executing multiple standard reps, while 50-meter sprint times improved from 11 seconds down to 8 seconds.

Character Building Through Combat Sports

Beyond physical development, Xiang emphasizes the character-building aspects of martial arts training. The combative nature of judo teaches students to confront victory and defeat directly, cultivating resilience through athletic adversity.

“The physical and mental health of the students is my greatest achievement as a teacher,” Xiang stated in published interviews.

Since starting his tenure at the school, Xiang’s coaching has helped students claim multiple awards in provincial and municipal competitions. Those results earned Zhou Kaiquan Primary School recognition as a provincial-level judo characteristic school while supplying talented athletes to the Zhaoqing City Sports School.