Skateboarding: Learning how to Ollie

The ollie is a trick that every beginner in skateboarding needs to learn. I remember when I first started skateboarding I did not even know what an ollie was or how to do it. The first time I saw one was when my friend stepped on a skateboard in front of me and did it with ease. I remember my first time trying I jumped straight up in the air, confused as to why the skateboard was not following my legs.

One of the first principles you must master in order to learn the ollie is the manual. A manual is basically leaning backwards, so that the front wheels of your skateboard are supsended in the air. The purpose of learning the manual is it teaches you how to lean backwards onto your tail and then revert your balance to the normal standing position. An ollie is basically a very quick manual, with your tail smacking the ground. After your tail smacks the ground you jump up and level out just as if you were leveling out from a manual.

Remember that when you first start learning the ollie to not give up. Another method that helps in learning the ollie is to practice it over cracks in a sidewalk, as this will help you learn the essential timing behind the ollie.

Your stance during the ollie is what will determine how high and how long you ollie. In order to ollie you must bend your knees, making sure that your shoulders are parallel with the board. Now comes the most critical aspect. You must jump at the same time you smack your tail into the ground. Remember to have your back foot pressuring the tail of your board while your front foot is below the bolts of your front truck, preferable in the middle of the skateboard. At the same time you are jumping and hitting your tail on the ground you must also extend your front foot forward. Then all that is necessary is sucking up your knees again, so that once in the air you are in a crouched position.



To ensure a solid landing you must straighten your legs out while in the air and then land with both your feet directly on the bolts of your trucks. Crouch down when you land so that you absorb the impact and don't end up flat on your ass.

That is all there basically is to learning an ollie. Make sure that you keep practicing everyday and you will have the ollie in no time.

Tips: - Practice riding off a raised ledge, such as a sidewalk, to learn how to absorb the impact after ollieng.
-Once you can air off the ground, practice ollieng over small things such as soda cans or bricks and move your way up to larger or wider things. This will build your timing as well as the hight of your ollie.