Skateboard OllieThe skateboard ollie, or ollie pop as it used to be known is classed as one of the basic tricks of skateboarding. It's the basis of most other tricks so it's a good idea to learn it as early as you can. The original ollie was invented as a pool skating trick by Alan "Ollie" Gelfand back in 1977. In 1981 Rodney Mullen invented the ollie on the flat as part of his freestyle skating routines. Although it's considered a basic trick, it doesn't mean the ollie is easy. It takes a lot of practice to get it right. But when you do you'll soon be on the way to learning a lot of other tricks. Before you even think about trying an ollie, or any other skateboard trick, be sure you're comfortable on the board and can push, carve and stop with ease. How to Ollie a Skateboard First step is to position your feet right. Your back foot needs to be on the centre of the tail. You front foot should be behind the front bolts. The further back your front foot is, the higher you'll ollie, though if you're just starting out you might want to keep your front foot a bit closer to the bolts for greater stability. Next you want to bend your knees and crouch low over the board. The lower you can get the higher you'll be able to jump. Now, jump up as hard and as fast as you can by straightening your legs. When you do this your back foot will put much more pressure on the tail of the board than your front foot will on the nose. This will cause the board to tip up and slam the tail into the ground. The impact with the ground then forces the board up into the air. When this happens, you slide your front foot up the board, using the friction between your shoe and the grip tape to drag the board higher. As you begin to bring your front foot down to level the nose, pull your back foot higher to allow the tail to come up. Your board should then level out and you should have both feet on the board ready to land you ollie. That's the theory, anyway. In reality a skateboard ollie
takes a whole lot of practice and can be painful if you're not
careful where you do it. Pad up well and try your first one or
two in the grass. But bear in mind, it's a good idea to
practice your ollies while you're rolling as soon as you feel
confident. |
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