Since Xenophon was mentioned in the conversation, another link to martial arts and Stoicism is through the Trials of Hercules in chapter 2 of the Memorabilia. The Buddhist bodhisattva Vajrapani was modelled originally on Hercules. You can see some examples from Afghanistan of Vajrapani wearing a lion skin and carrying a club. https://ir.sinica.edu.tw/handle/201000000A/902 Now Vajrapani is a temple guardian of the Shaolin Temple in China. Therefore, Hercules is the protector of the martial art of Kung Fu!
Since Xenophon was mentioned in the conversation, another link to martial arts and Stoicism is through the Trials of Hercules in chapter 2 of the Memorabilia. The Buddhist bodhisattva Vajrapani was modelled originally on Hercules. You can see some examples from Afghanistan of Vajrapani wearing a lion skin and carrying a club. https://ir.sinica.edu.tw/handle/201000000A/902 Now Vajrapani is a temple guardian of the Shaolin Temple in China. Therefore, Hercules is the protector of the martial art of Kung Fu!
I also read this book by a martial artist many years ago about the spiritual background of Chinese martial arts https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/571121
Yes, that's a good point. Hercules is also a sort of patron of the Cynic-Stoic tradition.