How to Ollie on a Skateboard

In skateboarding, there are many different tricks and flips that you can pull off by moving your legs and feet in various ways. To progress on to these more advanced tricks you must master the basics and build your skill set. The most basic and essential trick that is the main building block for most skateboard flips and aerial maneuvers is the Ollie.

Before you can learn how to Ollie, you need to know some basic terms and parts of the skateboard. The deck is the wooden board that you stand on which has a black sandpaper like sheet on top called griptape. Both ends of the deck flare upwards at around a 30 degree angle, these are called the nose and tail. Both the nose and tail are used to pop the board up into the air for various tricks. The trucks are the 2 metal axles on the bottom of the board that hold on the wheels and allow you to turn while riding. The bolts are the screws that you see on top of the deck that hold the trucks in place.

Another thing that you need to know is if you ride regular or goofy. These are the 2 different stances that people use to ride a skateboard. Riding regular stance is when your left foot is in front and your right foot is in the back on the tail. Goofy stance is when you ride with your right foot in front and your left foot on the tail. No matter which stance you are, learning the Ollie requires the same steps.

To begin learning how to Ollie, you need to go to a flat smooth surface, somewhere where you won’t roll away. Place the board down in front of you and put your front foot about two inches behind the front set of bolts, having the ball of your foot near the center. Next, put your back foot in the middle of the tail also with the ball of your foot being in the center. To properly do the Ollie your shoulders must be parallel with the board and can’t be angled in any way. The next few steps require much practice and a combination of coordination and timing. The next step in performing an Ollie is a swift combination of a few things. You must jump and pop the board at the same time to lift it into the air. Before you pop your board, bend your knees as this provides spring for your jump and pop. To pop the board you push down on the tail and bring your feet upwards with the board as you start your jump. As the board is being lifted into the air, you have to suck your knees up and slide your front foot forward towards the nose to level the board out. Then once you’re in the air you spot your landing on the ground and extend your legs to push the board back to the ground. As you land, bend your knees and go down a little bit to absorb the impact.

The most difficult part in learning how to Ollie is perfecting the timing and coordination between jumping, popping the board and sliding your foot up to level out the board. The only thing that can solve this is a lot of practice. Another thing that helps beginners is practicing on firm grass or gravel. Learning on grass is safer because if you fall it won’t hurt as much. Learning on these different surfaces will also provide you with more stability since your wheels can’t roll around, allowing you to work on your form without worrying.

After getting stationary Ollies down, you can start to try them while rolling. Once you’ve learned how to Ollie, you can learn tricks such as the pop shove it, the frontside or backside 180 and the most basic beginner flip trick, the kickflip. Once mastered, skateboarders use the Ollie to perform grinds on rails and ledges, and also trick over obstacles like sets of stairs and drops.