While gendai budo establishes the systems of the arts and places emphasis on competitions or matches for the purpose of disciplining mind and body from the point of view of the human development and physical education more than polishing the arts (for example, judo, kendo), the fundamental purpose of kobudo was not winning a match (some of the schools had forbidden trainees from competing in the contest between different schools), but defending themselves actually to live or disciplining themselves to carry out their missions as samurai.
現代武道が技の錬磨以上に人間形成と体育的見地からの心身の鍛錬を目的として技術の体系を構築し、また競技、試合を重視しているのに対し（例：柔道、剣道）、古武道は基本的に試合での勝敗を目的とせず(流派によっては他流試合を禁じていた）、実際に身を守り暮らす事や、武士としての使命を果たすための鍛錬などが目的とされていた。