Skateboarding can be an exciting sport, and Ollie is one of the basic skateboarding tricks you can learn, even as a beginner. It is a fundamental trick. And mastering the Ollie will help you build confidence and progress in your skateboarding journey because it’s the foundation for many complex tricks.
Ollie is one of the skateboarding tricks for beginners that involves jumping into the air with your skateboard without using your hands. It’s an excellent way to develop confidence in your board. Once you’ve learned ollie, you can easily approach obstacles such as curbs, stairs, and rails.
This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to ollie on a skateboard. So, this is the ultimate opportunity for any skateboarder to improve their technique.
How to Master the Ollie on a Skateboard: A Step-by-Step Guide
We have broken down the Ollie into easy-to-follow steps, starting with the basics and progressing to more advanced techniques. We’ll cover everything from foot placement to timing and provide tips to help you avoid common mistakes.
Once you master it, you can perform more advanced tricks like kickflips, heelflips, and 180s. But mastering the Ollie requires practice and patience. So grab your skateboard and master the Ollie like a pro!
Step 1: Get your foot position right
Before practicing your ollies, it’s vital to ensure your foot placement is correct. Position your back foot on the tail of your deck and your front foot just behind the board’s middle section until you reach the front truck bolts. Your feet should be slightly inclined, pointing towards the nose. This position gives you the momentum you need to get your board airborne.
Step 2: Apply pressure to the back of your board and wait for your board to touch the ground
With your feet in the correct position, quickly apply pressure to the back of your board with your back foot. This will help you gain momentum; the faster you do this, the better.
When you feel your board touch the ground, get ready to pop. It is the first step in executing an ollie. To pop your skateboard, you’ll need to quickly slide your back foot off the tail while simultaneously jumping with both feet.
Step 3: Jump and drag your front foot upwards
As you jump, the force of your back foot pressing down on the tail of the board will cause the front of the board to rise upwards diagonally. At the same time, your front foot should slide up the board and come to rest against the nose. This is vital for your final landing stance.
Step 4: Prepare for landing
You and your board should be fully airborne and parallel to the ground at the apex of your leap. Your back foot should rest gently on the board’s truck bolts, while your front foot should rest on the board’s front truck bolts. Keep your weight in the right spots to maintain balance and prevent board breakage.
Step 5: Bend your knees upon landing
Let gravity take over as your board touches the ground, and bend your knees to squat on your board. This technique will prevent the board from slipping and minimize the impact on your joints.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When learning how to ollie, there are several common mistakes that you should try to avoid:
- Not popping the tail hard enough
- Not jumping high enough
- Not leveling the board in the air
- Landing with only one foot on the board
- Landing too far forward or too far back on the board
- Need to follow proper skateboarding safety guide.
Be patient, and don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right away. Instead, keep practicing, and you’ll get there.
For a better visual representation, you can take help from the following video:
How to Ollie Higher
Once you’ve mastered the basic ollie, you can start working on ollieing higher. Here are some tips to help you:
- Practice jumping higher without your skateboard
- Focus on popping the tail harder
- Jump higher by bringing your knees up toward your chest
- Level the board out quickly by dragging your front foot up
- Try practicing on different surfaces, such as grass or carpet, to get a feel for the timing and technique
Final Words
Congratulations! You’ve just learned how to perform the Ollie on a skateboard! You can perform this essential trick like a pro with practice, patience, and determination. Remember, mastering the Ollie is not just about learning a trick; it’s about building the foundation for all other tricks in skateboarding. Just keep practicing and pushing yourself to get better.
We hope you find this step-by-step method for enhancing your skateboarding skills helpful. We would love to hear your feedback on how you found the guide and if there is anything we could improve. Let us know in the comments section below!
Learning is always better by sharing with others. So, share this guide on social media to help others master the Ollie and improve their skateboarding skills.
