How to learn how to do an “ollie” on a skateboard. Instructions for beginners

In its time, the “ollie” turned the skateboarding community upside down. The trick was first performed by Alan Gelfand in 1978. The jump provided almost limitless opportunities to perform much more complicated tricks and opened up a whole new horizon for the sport. Skateboarders quickly realized that you can create different variations of the “ollie” and make rotations of 180 degrees or more. Today we’re going to break down this jump in detail, and all you have to do is grab a board and try, try, try.

“Ollie ” is the basic trick in skateboarding, on which all the others are built. The essence of the jump is to tear the skateboard off the ground solely with the help of the legs. To do this, you need to sharply strike your foot on the teyla (the back edge of the skateboard), and the second foot “pull” the board up and into a horizontal position.

Technique of execution

The whole trick can be divided into a few simple steps. It is best if you learn each one separately and only after you try to combine them.

skateboarding and longboarding coach

Tells you how to learn how to do an “ollie”.

Step 1 – preparation and proper stance

Let’s start with the stance and foot placement on the board. One foot is placed on the tail of the board and the other foot is placed near the front suspension bolts closer to the center. During your first few attempts, it is best to put your foot closer to the front bolts. Then, when you want to do the trick higher, you can move your foot closer to the center of the board.

Important: Your socks should not hang off the skateboard.

Your body weight should be distributed evenly on both feet. It is important that your shoulders and pelvis are in the same plane as the board. Do not turn your shoulders in the direction of movement and do not tilt your body, otherwise your “ollie” will be crooked.

Step 2 – “snap.”

The “snap” is when we press down sharply on the teeter-totter with our back foot, causing it to touch the asphalt and make a clicking sound. The foot pressure should not just go downwards, but downwards and slightly backwards. Then the board “clicks” off the surface better and is hooked more by the foot.

Some people put their foot on the very end of the teeter-totter to get the snap. At the first stages it really seems easier. In fact, it’s better to put your foot on the very plane of the teeter totter, so that the snap is even and the board doesn’t turn in different directions at the moment of the trick.

Step 3 – jump up

In an ideal world picture, step 2 and step 3 happen at the same time. It’s important to snap the board and immediately afterward push off with the same foot, jumping up. Do not just push the tail of the board, pressing it to the ground, but jump up. At the same time it is necessary to help yourself with your hands, which should first be spread apart, and at the moment of jumping up.

Step 4 – “stretching”

At the moment of jumping, the leg, which stands in front, begins to slide on the skin to the nose of the skateboard. The foot needs to be pulled up and forward. The board rises up and sticks to your feet. To complete the ollie, the only thing left to do is to land on the board with both feet.

Step 5 – landing

The most important thing here is to keep your feet above the hangers (in the bolt zone) when landing. This way the board will not crack in half and fly out from under you when you land. At the moment of touching the ground, we bend our knees slightly, trying to self-correct the jump.

“Ollie” is considered good in the case when the board does not fall off your feet in flight. But in the initial stages, it’s okay if it doesn’t make contact with the foot behind you.

Tips for learning the ollie

• Check out the various instructional videos on the internet, as everyone’s approach is different and you may be able to find something that will be useful for you.
• I would recommend learning the trick “in place” and on a soft surface (on a rubber playground, for example, or at home on carpet) and then gradually adding speed.
• To progress, try jumping over different objects and obstacles (manholes, high curbs). It will be hard at first, but you’ll have a goal, which means progress will go faster.

• To practice “ollie” just drive around the city and try to do the trick wherever you can. At first, it will be awkward to jump without warm-up and preparation, but it will become much easier later on. The fear of not being able to do it will go away.

The best known ollie tutorial is from Brail Skateboards. They recommend breaking down the entire learning into drills. You can start preparing for the trick with this video.

When you start to succeed, you will get unreal emotions and will be very satisfied with yourself.

The world of skateboarding is very interesting, now this sport is included in the Olympic program. Read more about how it got to the Games in this article.

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