How to ollie on a skateboard: foot position, pop, slide and common mistakes

TUREFF• •0

The ollie is the jump that almost every street trick is built on: you pop the tail, slide your front foot up, and the board rises with you without your hands touching it. It is credited to Alan Gelfand, who did it in Florida in the late 1970s, and street skaters adapted it for flat ground in the early 1980s. It takes most people weeks to learn properly, so be patient.

Before you start

You should be comfortable riding, turning and stopping first.
Wear a helmet and flat, grippy shoes. Ollies wear out the side of the front shoe quickly.
Practise standing still on grass or carpet first, where the board will not roll away. Then move to a crack in the pavement or the edge of a mat so the board stays put.

Foot position

Back foot: the ball of your foot on the tip of the tail, near the middle.
Front foot: in the middle of the board, a little behind the front bolts, angled slightly.
Shoulders lined up with the board, knees bent, weight centred.

Small changes here make a big difference, so if the ollie is not coming, adjust your front foot a little further forward or back and try again.

The movement, step by step

Crouch: bend your knees low, like you are about to jump.
Pop: snap the tail down hard and fast with the ball of your back foot so it strikes the ground.
Jump: at the same instant, jump up, lifting your back foot to let the board rise.
Slide: drag the side of your front shoe up towards the nose. The grip tape catches it and pulls the board up and levels it out.
Lift your knees: bring both knees up towards your chest to give the board room.
Land: push the board down with both feet over the bolts and bend your knees to absorb the landing.

The pop and the slide happen almost together. Think "snap and drag", not "snap, wait, then drag".

A practice ladder

Stationary on grass: just the pop, until the tail clicks the ground crisply.
Stationary on grass: pop and slide, landing back on the board.
Stationary on hard ground, holding a rail or a friend's shoulder.
Rolling slowly. Most people find a rolling ollie easier, because forward movement helps the board level out.
Rolling over a crack, then a line of chalk, then a small, low object you would not mind hitting.

Common mistakes

Board does not leave the ground: the pop is too soft, or you jump before you pop. Snap the tail harder.
Nose stays down: the front foot is not sliding up far enough. Drag the shoe towards the nose with more intent.
Board shoots out ahead: your weight is too far back, or you are leaning back on the landing. Keep your shoulders over the board.
Landing on the tail or nose: feet drifting from the bolts. Look at the board as you come down and aim for the bolts.
Leaving the back foot on the tail: you have to lift it, or the tail cannot rise.
Not jumping at all: the board only goes as high as you lift your knees.

How long it takes

Some people get a small ollie in days; for others it takes a couple of months. Short, regular sessions beat one long exhausting one. Filming yourself on a phone often shows the problem immediately. Share how long your first ollie took, or describe what your board is doing and ask for help, in the comments below.