Squaring the Circle
A conventional way of thinking about karate is through its three core components:
• Kihon
• Kata
• Kumite
When learned correctly and in balance, these can be imagined as three circles merging into a single circle — a complete technical system of karate.
But karate, when approached holistically, is more than this. Around that central circle sits a wider package of benefits that emerge when the art is used with intention. This broader dimension can be represented as a square fitting neatly around the circle, containing elements such as:
• Philosophy
• Health
• Fitness
• Sociability
How much these matter depends on the level at which you choose to engage with karate.
For me, when I first started, it was the health and sociability aspects that drew me in — both as a way of managing specific medical conditions and as a shared hobby with my son. In fact, karate was recommended to me on medical grounds by my doctor.
During COVID, the health dimension came sharply into focus. It wasn’t just about physical well being anymore; it became a matter of mental resilience. Like many people with underlying conditions, I had to confront the stark realities of risk and uncertainty. As part of my Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, I began using kata as structured anchors, assigning one kata each to:
• Mindfulness
• Tensioning and Relaxing
• Breathing
I wrote about this in more detail in
Mindfulness, Tensioning, Breathing and Relaxing (with PJ Broomy):
That period kept my practice alive, but it also created a blind spot. When I returned to the dojo last year, it became clear that while my technique had survived, my stamina had not. This was confirmed during the grading exam I took after my return — something I reflected on in:
Do You Want It? Come and Earn It…
A recent two‑hour lesson on the bo reinforced the point. It also reminded me that bo work — especially when combined with simple exercises like walking — is an excellent way to rebuild stamina. I already had a jo, a toothpick bo, and a full‑weight bo at home. During Covid, I had even stitched together the six bo kihon we are taught into a compact kata suitable for limited space, which I wrote about here:
So I’ve now added a fourth element to my personal practice by resurrecting that simple bo kata. I don’t expect to regain the stamina I had in 2020 — I was 59 then, and one of my conditions is progressive — but I’m confident this will once again be “what the doctor ordered” at my next health review.
This gives my karate‑for‑health model four pillars:
• Mindfulness
• Tensioning and Relaxing
• Breathing
• Stamina
If we return to the earlier metaphor, these four elements sit neatly on the four sides of the square surrounding the technical circle. Together, they form a complete picture of what karate has become for me: not just a martial art, but a structured system for maintaining health, resilience, and balance — one that adapts with me as life changes.
Thanks for Reading,
Robert Young
24/03/2026