Ollie
aka The Ollie · Ground Ollie
The pop that started everything. Snap the tail, drag the front foot, and level the board out in the air. Every flip, grind and grab is built on this one.
The Breakdown
Four phases from roll-up to roll-away. Scrub the analyzer above — each phase lights up as the board hits it.
- 01 Approach
Set your feet
Roll at a comfortable cruising speed. Back foot on the very tip of the tail, ball of the foot centered. Front foot just behind the bolts, angled slightly. Bend your knees and stay over the board — weight centered, not on your heels.
- 02 Pop
Snap the tail down
Drive the tail to the ground with a sharp, downward snap from your back foot. Think "stomp," not "push." The harder and crisper the pop, the more height you get. The moment the tail cracks the ground is the moment the trick begins.
- 03 Air
Drag and level
As the tail pops, slide your front foot up toward the nose, using the grip to drag the board upward. Suck your knees up to your chest. Roll your front ankle so the board levels out flat beneath you at the peak.
- 04 Landing
Stomp the bolts
Spot your landing early. Keep your shoulders square and aim both feet for the trucks. Land over the bolts with bent knees to absorb the impact, then roll away clean.
When It Goes Wrong
The most common ways Ollie bails — and the fix. Diagnose your slam, then get back on.
My ollie barely leaves the ground — why no pop?
You're pushing the tail instead of snapping it. The pop is an explosive downward stomp, not a slow press. Commit your full back-foot weight in one crisp motion and let the tail rebound off the ground. Practicing stationary on grass or carpet to feel the snap helps.
The board flips or shoots out in front of me.
Too much pop with no front-foot drag, or your back foot is throwing the tail sideways. After you pop, immediately drag your front foot straight up the board toward the nose — that drag levels the board and keeps it under you.
I land with the board angled or only on the tail.
Your front-foot drag is stopping short. Keep dragging until your foot reaches the nose and your front ankle rolls to level the deck. Spotting the landing with your eyes also pulls your shoulders level.
I'm scared to commit while rolling.
Totally normal. Lock the stationary ollie first, then roll at walking pace. Speed actually makes ollies easier and more stable — bend your knees, keep your weight centered over the board, and commit both feet to the bolts.
The ollie is the single most important trick in skateboarding — not because it looks the gnarliest, but because literally everything else is an ollie with something added to it. Kickflips are ollies with a flick. Frontside 180s are ollies with a turn. Every grind starts with an ollie onto the obstacle.
Spend real time here. A high, level, controlled ollie that you can pop on command — moving, at speed, on flat — is the foundation the entire trick tree grows out of. Get it dialed and the next nodes unlock fast.
Dial In Your Setup
Gear that makes this trick easier to learn. Tune the setup, not just the technique.
Medium deck (8.0"–8.25")
7-ply maple · medium concave
A medium concave gives your feet a reference point for the flick and drag without fighting you. Too mellow and the board feels dead; too steep and beginners lose the pocket.
Shop decks & parts99A street wheels
52–54mm · 99A duro
Harder, slightly smaller wheels keep you quick and predictable on flat. Big soft wheels roll over cracks but kill the snappy feel you want while learning to pop.
Shop decks & partsFresh grip tape
Coarse grit
Worn grip is the silent ollie killer. If your front foot slides instead of dragging the board up, re-grip before you blame your technique.
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Stack Your Clip
Landed Ollie? Soon you'll drop your line here and battle the crew for the top of the board.