How to Do an Ollie on a Skateboard: Tips from Experts

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Skateboarding is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, but it’s not always easy to learn.

Learning how to do an ollie on a skateboard can seem like a daunting task for beginners. It’s not easy learning how to ollie on your skateboard when you don’t have any help or guidance.

You could watch videos online, but that doesn’t always work out well for everyone. It’s important to know the right way to position your feet and use the right amount of pressure when pushing off from the ground.

That’s where I come in! I’ve compiled some tips and tricks from experts that will help you master the ollie. Let’s first understand the origins of Ollie.

The Origins of the Ollie

The ollie is a fundamental trick that all skateboarders learn when they first start skating. It can help you gain speed, perform tricks off of obstacles and it’s also the beginning step for doing kickflips.

Before you can do any ollie-related tricks, you’ll need to know how to do an ollie, which is the trick where you jump from the ground and push your board forward.

When done properly, this can result in a lot of momentum that will help propel yourself into other tricks which will make learning how to ollie on a skateboard much easier.

Meanwhile, you can check out the list of the most popular longboard for new learners and pick the one that fits you the best.

Must-Have Pre-Ollie Skateboarding Skills

It’s important to have a certain set of skateboarding skills before you even try learning how to do an ollie on your board. These are some important skating skills that will help make the whole process go much more smoothly.

Pushing Off

Before you can jump, you’ll need to get moving first. Pushing down on your back foot while standing on the front of your board will get you started.

You’ll be using this same technique when you want to stop on a skateboard, so you must get comfortable with the pressure needed to push, turn and stop on your board.

Kick-Turning

Don’t get discouraged if you’re still having trouble getting used to your board. Once you do learn how to ollie, more advanced tricks like kick-turning will be much easier to execute.

You must know how to turn before trying any of these more advanced moves, which is why mastering the nose manual trick first might be a good option for you.

Stopping

Before learning how to ollie, you should make sure that you can stop on your board. On a skateboard, the nose is usually pointed downwards at an angle when in motion.

When you’re about to stop riding, bend your knees and shift your weight forward so you’re ready to come to a grinding halt.

How to Do an Ollie – Step by Step

Okay, now that you have a better understanding of some basic skateboarding skills, let’s get on to learning how to do an ollie!

1. Position your feet

The first thing you’ll need to do is get used to standing on the front half of your board. This will give you a better center of gravity when you jump and means that your board should flip over more easily.

3. Apply the required pressure to your board’s rear

You’ll need to add a little bit of pressure to the back end of your board to get it to pop up into the air. This is not an easy trick and might take a little bit of practice to get right.

3. Wait for the board to touch the ground before leaping

Make sure that your board touches down on the pavement before pushing up into an ollie motion. If you try pushing up too early, you might end up hitting your board against the pavement and breaking it (which is why it’s so important to wear protective equipment).

4. Jump as high as you can, swinging your front foot upward

You’ll need to use the pressure you applied earlier on the back of your board to jump up into the air. Make sure that you jump high enough for your front edge or front trucks (the area on top of your board) to lift off of the pavement.

5. Get ready to fall at the peak of your jump

Now that you’re in mid-air, you’ll need to wait until you travel far enough for your board to land back on the ground again. This is where your feet are crucial – make sure you don’t try to bring them up too early or you’ll risk snapping your board in half.

6. As your board hits the ground, bend your legs

When you’ve landed back on the ground, you need to bend your knees to absorb some of that impact. If you’re still riding a skateboard without any protective equipment, this is also a smart moment to let go of your board.

Useful Tips to Help You Master the Ollie

When learning how to ollie, it’s always a good idea to start slow. If you try pushing up from the ground at full speed, there’s a very high chance that your board will pop out from underneath you and send you flying towards the pavement!

It’s also a good idea to keep your shoulders straight and your feet shoulder-width apart. This stance will help you maintain balance throughout the entire ollie motion, which is why it’s so important to master if you want to learn how to ollie well.

You might find that one of these two techniques works best for you:

Add some pressure to the back of your board with your back foot, while at the same time pushing slightly down on the front of your board with your front foot.

Or:

Put more weight on the tail end of your board by moving both feet towards the tail. Take a smooth hop off the ground and let the motion lift your tail end into the air.

If you find that your board jumps too much in either direction when you try to ollie, do a little bit of practice by popping your board up and down on the street until you get a feel for the motion.

Conclusion

Whether you’re attempting ollies near the skate park or trying to learn how to do an ollie on flat ground, these tips should help you master this advanced skateboarding trick.

Overall, the trick is pretty simple to learn, but it can take some time to get right. Keep at it and you’ll be able to perform the motion in no time!