Put your front foot between the front bolts and the middle of the board
1 / 15
Help
Trick
Prerequisites
Position
Quick start
Sensation
Tips
Mistakes
Helpers
Variations
Transition
Trick description
Prerequisites
Tricks you should know before moving to this lesson
Position
Standard foot positioning to perform the trick
Quick start
Quick guide to help you get started on your own before diving into more accurate explanations
Sensation
What you feel and how you behave while doing the trick
Tips
Every piece of detail that could help you success the trick
Mistakes
Common mistakes related to the trick and how to fix them
Helpers
Exercises to help you grasp the feel of the trick before fully attempting it
Variations
Small adjustments for the trick relatively to the stance
Transition
Tip you can use temporarily to feel more comfortable, but eventually you will need to break this habit
Ollie
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This trick is the fundamental base of skateboarding
Easy
Position
Quick start
Bend on your knees
1
Push your back foot down and jump
2
Slide your front foot up the length of the board
3
Use the edge of your foot to stick to the board
4
Lift up your back foot
5
Bend your knees as you land
6
Sensation
Your weight should be even on both feet, and your body has to be centered
Tips
You can keep it straight, or angle it a bit toward the nose
2 / 15
Put your back foot in the middle of the tail, near the edge of the tail
3 / 15
Make sure that both of your feet are on the same line, centered relative to the width of the board
4 / 15
Bend your knees before popping. Don't feel afraid to exagerate this movement
5 / 15
Bend your back knee slightly toward the nose instead of just bending it straight down
6 / 15
Keep your eyes on the board the entire time, as soon as you start the trick
7 / 15
Push hard as you pop but do not use all your strength, make the board snap on the ground
8 / 15
Pop with your toes to have more straight and better acuracy, not flat footed
9 / 15
Rotate your front ankle and slide it, upward and toward the nose
10 / 15
Focus on bringing your front foot up rather than forward, it will naturally move forward as well
11 / 15
Find the right timing for the actions of popping with your back foot and sliding with your front foot
12 / 15
Take the impulsion for your jump from your board, not from the ground, right before you pop, almost at the same time
13 / 15
Lift your back foot as well, but with a slight delay. Lift it up to get more height, and toward the nose for better control
14 / 15
Bend your knees when landing to absorb the impact and avoid bouncing on your board
15 / 15
Mistakes
'The ollie just doesn't work'
'You haven't found the right timing for your feet yet. It takes time to get a feel for it. Also, make sure your tail touches the ground when you pop'
1 / 9
'The board does not stick to my front foot'
'You are keeping your foot flat. Rotate your ankle as you slide it up along the board'
2 / 9
'I slip out when I land'
'You are landing with your feet too close to each other. Focus on spreading your legs while in the air, before landing'
3 / 9
'My body bounces when I land'
'Your legs are straight. Bend on your knees when you land to absorb the energy of the fall'
4 / 9
'My ollie tends to rocket'
'You are not lifting your back foot enough. When your board sticks to your feet, the only way to level it out is to raise both feet to the same height'
5 / 9
'My ollie turns frontside'
'You are turning your shoulders, either because you are facing the direction you moving, or because you are throwing your front arm in a circular motion, slightly backwards'
6 / 9
'My ollie still turns frontside, even with square shoulders'
'You are either leaning backward, or have too much weight on your heels. Apply all the pressure on your toes'
7 / 9
'The board does not stick to my back foot'
'You are not fully committing to the trick. Bend your back knee toward the nose instead of just straight down, and jump toward where the board is going'
8 / 9
'I struggle to ollie higher'
'Put your front foot a bit more toward the tail (centered rather than near the bolts) to raise the nose faster, and lift both feet, more especially the back foot. Shift them slightly forward while in the air for better control'
9 / 9
Helpers
Pop exercice
Stand behind the tail of your board, pop on the tail with your back foot and grab the nose with your back hand
1 / 5
Specific module
Take some speed on a curb, make a short manual as you reach the end and drop on the ground
2 / 5
Muscle memory
Stand on your back foot as if you were popping, then slide your front foot toward the nose of your board. Repeat this over and over
3 / 5
Grass simulation
Try the ollie on grass. This helps if you are scared of the trick. The feeling is not quite the same as the real trick because you will miss the scoop. On the other hand, you will have a better balance without moving
4 / 5
Hold a rail
Practice the ollie while holding onto a handrail for support. This allows you to spend more time in the air, and helps keep your shoulders square. This also prevents you from falling
5 / 5
Variations
Once you feel comfortable with static ollies, practice them while rolling instead of stationary. Try them in different contexts
Transition
Putting your front foot on the bolts will help you get a better balance and have less to slide, but you will ollie lower
