Did Gwok Jing's martial arts improvement also help his wrestling skills?

[Ken Cheng]

Like most boys who grew up among the Mongol nomads of the early 13th Century, the young Gwok Jing was an avid wrestler. The problem was that he was never any good at it. As a child, he routinely had his butt handed to him by his peers in Mongolian wrestling. As a teenager, he wasn't much better: Prince Dosi of the Ongkhan Tribe beat the living tar out of Gwok Jing during their wrestling matches.

Years pass, and Gwok Jing masters numerous great Chinese martial arts. He becomes arguably the greatest martial artist in the world, but other than making his body much stronger, did that help his Mongolian wrestling skills any? During a later chapter of LOCH, Gwok Jing was able to use his Mongolian wrestling skills to surprise West Poison Au Yeung Fung. In ROCH, Gwok Jing used Mongolian wrestling skills to manhandle two Mongolian wrestlers who accosted him at Kublai Khan's base camp near Seung Yeung Fortress. Did Gwok Jing's wrestling skills actually somehow improve, or was he "cheating" by using his great Chinese martial arts skills?

[superboy]

Was GJ a weak wrestler? He was born with a strong body though. I think is wrestling skills probably improved. After all the years of martial arts practices, it would be hard ot imagine that a fighter no weaker than a Great will not be able to react in wrestler faster than a normal person. And his chi is diffinently a great advantage.

[Ken Cheng]

Originally posted by superboy
Was GJ a weak wrestler? He was born with a strong body though. I think is wrestling skills probably improved. After all the years of martial arts practices, it would be hard ot imagine that a fighter no weaker than a Great will not be able to react in wrestler faster than a normal person. And his chi is diffinently a great advantage.

Definitely, but I'm wondering if Gwok Jing's wrestling skill developed independently of his other martial arts skills. If he turned everything else "off" (i.e. no 9 Yum Jen Ging, no Hong Lung 18 Palms, not even Gong Nam 7 Freaks' kung fu) and just used wrestling in ROCH, could he defeat top Mongolian wrestlers?

[Candide]

Who said he was a weak wrestler ? TVB ?

The novel did not mention whether he was bad at wrestling or not. It was said that he was the type that wouldn't quit... ie even if he got knocked down, he would jump up straight away and have another go.

[Ken Cheng]

Originally posted by Candide
Who said he was a weak wrestler ? TVB ?

Yep.

In LOCH '82, he got beaten again and again and again at wrestling. It got so bad that his mother wondered if he would ever come home from one of his wrestling matches victoriously. Apparently, this continued until he was sixteen years old.

Felix Wong's Gwok Jing won only *one* wrestling match: when he went berserker on Prince Dosi and sucker-punched him while the Mongol prince was busy laughing and gloating.

[Candide]

I think that doesn't fit Guo Jing's character very well. Guo Jing only had problems with the various complicated styles of the Freaks, but he was very compatible with straight forward techniques. Mongolian wrestling should be one of those that he could learn easily, just like archery. He was probably the 2nd best archer in Genghis Khan's army, just below his sifu Jie Bie.

[Ken Cheng]

The young Gwok Jing of LOCH '82 was portrayed as an exceedingly gawky and clumsy youngster (in fact, I think Felix Wong took a little heat from some critics for playing up the clumsy/badly coordinated angle *too* much in his portrayal of the character, although this was hardly Wong's fault because he was simply sticking with the script and carrying out, to the best of his ability, the orders of the director). LOCH '82's early Gwok Jing not only was unsuccessful in learning the Freaks' martial arts; he seemed barely able to walk without tripping over his own feet....a real clutz.

[Candide]

Maybe that's why that adaptation never left any good impression on my mind. I watched it ages ago, and I can only remember a few things: the actors and actresses are fugly and the script sucks.

[CFT]

Originally posted by Ken Cheng
Definitely, but I'm wondering if Gwok Jing's wrestling skill developed independently of his other martial arts skills. If he turned everything else "off" (i.e. no 9 Yum Jen Ging, no Hong Lung 18 Palms, not even Gong Nam 7 Freaks' kung fu) and just used wrestling in ROCH, could he defeat top Mongolian wrestlers?

Even with all these physical skills turned off he would have a significant advantage due to the years of practicing advanced Chinese martial arts.

1) Stance, footwork & positioning
2) Relaxation when performing techniques (i.e. no tension)
3) Control and manipulation of the opponent's centre of gravity

[superboy]

I think GJ's reflex would be much better than normal people too.

[Candide]

His confidence would be very high as well (which is very important in fighting) as he had fought all top martial artists.

[hermit]

Wrestling has a lot (not all) to do with strength. If you had 9Yin Devine Neigong, you don't need techniques around people with just human brute strength. You can manhandle them pretty easily like throwing couple boulders.

[Guo Xiang]

Originally posted by hermit
Wrestling has a lot (not all) to do with strength. If you had 9Yin Devine Neigong, you don't need techniques around people with just human brute strength. You can manhandle them pretty easily like throwing couple boulders.

Yes but Ken's point is, could he defeat his opponents WITHOUT using any of his martial arts, just pure wrestling?

[Alinda]

Maybe that's why that adaptation never left any good impression on my mind. I watched it ages ago, and I can only remember a few things: the actors and actresses are fugly and the script sucks.

how dare you say that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!