While recuperating from this shoulder injury, I have been thinking about preparing for my shodan grading which should be fairly soon. I have done fairly well in competition, however I have worked very little on the NNK. I have read the JF entries on it but I wanted to ask the Bullshido community what was key in getting at least passable on this demonstration.

Get a good uke.

While recuperating from this shoulder injury, I have been thinking about preparing for my shodan grading which should be fairly soon. I have done fairly well in competition, however I have worked very little on the NNK. I have read the JF entries on it but I wanted to ask the Bullshido community what was key in getting at least passable on this demonstration.

Although I've only had to do the first half myself, I agree with judoka_uk about having a good uke. Have you got the Kodokan video instructional? It is full of important points and is well worth watching many times.

Get a good uke.

What does good mean here? Someone who jumps for you, someone who attacks with conviction and really tries to judo chop you on the head? Something else?

What does good mean here? Someone who jumps for you, someone who attacks with conviction and really tries to judo chop you on the head? Something else?
Someone who knows it well. Uke can fix things up if you start to go wrong, but not the other way around.

It doesn't actually take that long to learn it. Learning it to a standard that will pass a shodan exam may be another thing, it would depend on the standard they are looking for.

If you can, find out who will be examining you and what they personally like to see the kata.

Good uke without a doubt is the best advice and make sure he is a little taller than you.

Also don't robot it make it look like you are really moving and throwing naturally not mechanically.

What does good mean here? Someone who jumps for you, someone who attacks with conviction and really tries to judo chop you on the head? Something else?
Someone who can move properly, smoothe over mistakes and of course vitally isn't a club footed mat phobic so that they have confidence going over.

What does good mean here?No jumping - he has to be a guy that knows how to be thrown. Surely by now you should know what we mean by "good uke".

While recuperating from this shoulder injury, I have been thinking about preparing for my shodan grading which should be fairly soon. I have done fairly well in competition, however I have worked very little on the NNK. I have read the JF entries on it but I wanted to ask the Bullshido community what was key in getting at least passable on this demonstration.

I'm a bit confused. You are recuperating from a shoulder injury.

You are thinking about preparing for your shodan exam, which will require you to demonstrate NNK.

1.) Are you thinking you can do NNK while recuperating? If so, think again, you can't.
2.) Get a copy of Otaki and Draeger, Judo: Formal Techniques. Study the NNK part while recuperating. Memorize the sequences.
3.) Find someone in your dojo or area who understands what the grading board wants to see in NNK, which standard they are using. It would be best to discuss this and other aspects of what is required with the head of the grading board if possible.
4.) Find a good uke, preferably one who is experienced at both roles in the NNK, and knows what your local/yudanshakai whatever grading board expects.
5.) You will have to practice the NNK for a few months if you want to make a decent showing of it. Some grading boards will be meh, for shodan you basically have to just be able to make it through the the required sets (for shodan often just the first three are required), others will expect you to make some minimum score. Find out!

Oh, and find a good uke.

good luck

Good uke without a doubt is the best advice and make sure he is a little taller than you.

Also don't robot it make it look like you are really moving and throwing naturally not mechanically.

If he can't do that already doing NNK won't help.

But you knew that already.

Thanks for all the responses. I do have the book, BKR. Yes, I am recovering from a separated shoulder. This is more about getting things ready for when I recover. I have never really studied kata. I have done the first two sets just trying to get the throws down but I really want to do it well as it is a requirement and I don't want to half step on it if that makes sense. I will talk to a few friends in other clubs about being my uke as I am the most advanced person in my club besides my instructor who is in his late 60s.

What does good mean here? Someone who jumps for you, someone who attacks with conviction and really tries to judo chop you on the head? Something else?

Nood on the board here but honestly if you knew judo well you would know what it is to be a good uke (which mind you I think takes years to figure out!)