| Originally, many of the Martial Arts we see today decended from traditions which included more of the things you talked about (strategy, horsemanship, spear/javelin throwing, archery, etc.) Others never did. It all depended on when and where they developed and what the conditions were. Many Japanese systems include more than just swordmanship (Kenjutsu) and unarmed fighting (what we today call Jujutsu), they also included strategy, Archery (Kyudo), Horsemanship, Spear (yari), Halberd (Naginata), and much more. As societies became more 'civilized' there was less need for the drastic weapon based styles, and more need on personal unarmed combat (or at least self protection against unarmed or lightly armed assailants). With the advent of the firearm and it becoming more and more popular, many arts were losing ground and losing face (the Boxer Rebellion in China pretty much proved this).
Today, there is more of an emphasis on health and sport so even more of the traditional curriculum is brushed aside in many school and many styles/systems are promoting only one aspect. Also, in many parts of the world, the United States of America, for example, laws are being twisted so that if one defends oneself 'excessively' legal reprocussions may still result. Therefore the military applications, originally meant to sustain life on the battlefield by ending the conflict in the fastest, most efficient way possible are not exactly appropriate for the streets.
Also, the 'Bu' in Budo (translated as martial way) and Bujutsu (martial technique) (also 'Wu' in 'Wushu' and 'Mu' in 'Mudo' [Korean equivilant of Budo]) all come from a Chinese character (Japanese: Kanji) which shows a shield stopping a spear. Bu literally means to stop conflict. So Bujutsu would be a technique for stopping conflict. Budo, the way of stopping conflict. Just food for thought. |