Is kata a workout routine?

No, the sweat you get when practicing kata along with the resulting better health and fitness is merely a byproduct of the practice of kata. I get into semantics a lot with changes occurring daily. In this instance I cringe when someone attaches a label, "workout," to kata. This is often done in fundamental techniques, i.e. what most call the "basics," to get a "workout."

I once conducted a session in the training hall where I did a bit of a warmup session then went right into kata. The recipients were a bit miffed later and stated kindly, that was a lousy work out. I feel they got into the mind set that karate, basics, kumite and kata are a means to "work out, sweat, and get into shape" type system.

So far from the origins and purposes of karate-jutsu-do. Labeling, as I have written on in the past, can get you thinking incorrectly when you practice, train and apply karate-jutsu-do in life.

No, karate and all its many facets are not a "work out" or "work out system" or "work out routine" for getting into shape. It is a way of life with many benefiting traits that just happen to include being healthy, mind and body, fit and strong. That is both physical and mental strength, fitness and health.

Maybe this is why kata lost its originality, its bunkai and its application to conflict. Maybe this is why it went the sport route. Maybe .....