10 Tips for Improving Your Ollie

The Ollie is one of the most fundamental tricks in skateboarding. It's the foundation for nearly every other trick, from flip tricks to grinds and slides. Mastering the Ollie will unlock a world of possibilities on your skateboard, allowing you to explore new heights, add style to your riding, and tackle more advanced maneuvers. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this article will guide you through 10 essential tips to improve your Ollie.

Perfect Your Stance and Positioning

A strong foundation starts with your stance. Your stance plays a critical role in your Ollie. If you're not standing correctly, you won't be able to generate the right amount of power and control needed for the trick.

• Foot Placement: Your back foot should be placed on the tail of the board, with your toes hanging slightly off the edge. The pressure should be on the ball of your foot to allow for a clean pop. Your front foot should be positioned around the middle of the skateboard, with your toes angled slightly toward the nose. This position will help you control the height and direction of the Ollie.
• Shoulder Alignment: Your shoulders should be aligned with your skateboard. If you twist your upper body in an unnatural way, it will throw off your balance and make the Ollie more difficult to perform.
• Body Position: Bend your knees slightly, with your weight centered over the board. This will give you more control when you initiate the pop and help you keep the Ollie smooth and balanced.

Getting your stance and positioning right is the first step toward consistently landing a proper Ollie.

Practice Proper Timing and Motion

Timing is everything in an Ollie. It's not just about the pop of the tail; it's about coordinating your movements so that you can lift the board and bring it back down cleanly.

• The Pop: To initiate an Ollie, push down on the tail of the board with your back foot. The faster and harder you push, the more pop you'll get. But it's essential to avoid stomping the tail too forcefully. A controlled, quick push is more effective.
• The Drag: As soon as you pop the tail, slide your front foot up the skateboard's grip tape. This drag motion is essential for lifting the board into the air. The more you drag, the higher the board will go. It's not just about pushing the board up, but about guiding it.
• The Jump: While dragging your foot up the board, jump with your legs. Make sure you are lifting your body straight up, not leaning forward or backward. Keep your knees slightly bent to absorb the landing and prevent injury.

The key to mastering the Ollie is learning how to time the pop, drag, and jump simultaneously. Each part of the movement should flow into the next to create a fluid, controlled Ollie.

Strengthen Your Core and Legs

An Ollie requires a lot of leg and core strength to maintain balance, pop the board high, and land smoothly. If your core and leg muscles are not strong enough, you may struggle with controlling the Ollie.

• Leg Strength: Spend time off the board strengthening your legs with exercises like squats, lunges, and calf raises. Strong legs will give you more power for the pop and improve your stability in the air.
• Core Stability: A strong core is essential for controlling your body and balancing the skateboard while you're in the air. Incorporate exercises like planks, leg raises, and Russian twists into your workout routine to improve your core stability.

Building strength in these areas will make it easier to generate the pop you need and control your movements during the Ollie.

Focus on Pop and Drag

The two most crucial components of the Ollie are the pop and the drag. The better you are at both, the higher and cleaner your Ollie will be.

• Pop: A powerful pop comes from a quick, explosive push with your back foot. Make sure you are popping directly downward, not forward. If you push too forward, the board will shoot out in front of you, and if you push too backward, you might not get the height you need. The trick is to apply force directly down on the tail of the board.
• Drag: The drag is what separates a basic Ollie from a great Ollie. As soon as you pop, drag your front foot up the grip tape along the board's edge. This motion is critical for lifting the skateboard into the air. The key is to drag your foot smoothly and steadily---too slow and the board won't get much height; too fast, and you risk flipping or losing control of the board.

Mastering the pop and drag will significantly improve the height, consistency, and style of your Ollie.

Learn to Level Out Your Ollie

One of the hallmarks of a well-executed Ollie is a smooth, level ascent and descent. If your Ollie is too nose-heavy or tail-heavy, it can throw off your balance and make landing difficult.

• Leveling the Ollie: To level out your Ollie, you need to maintain control of the board while you're in the air. This requires you to use your front foot to gently push down on the nose of the board once it reaches the peak of the Ollie. This action helps to flatten the board and keeps it from tipping forward.
• Control: The key to a level Ollie is staying centered over the skateboard. Leaning too far forward or backward can cause the board to rotate unevenly, making it harder to land cleanly. Use your front foot to guide the board and ensure it stays level throughout the trick.

Leveling out your Ollie adds both style and stability, allowing you to land smoother and more consistently.

Stay Relaxed and Controlled

One of the most common mistakes new skateboarders make when learning the Ollie is to tense up. Tension in your body can interfere with your timing and make the trick feel jerky and unnatural.

• Relax Your Body: Focus on staying loose and fluid as you perform the Ollie. Tension in your shoulders, arms, or legs will limit your movement and make it harder to execute the trick cleanly.
• Stay in Control: While it's important to relax, you still need to stay in control of your body and the board. Focus on maintaining balance and adjusting your posture as needed. Keep your knees slightly bent and your body centered over the board.

Being relaxed but controlled will help you stay confident and consistent as you improve your Ollie.

Practice in the Right Environment

Where you practice is just as important as how you practice. Practicing in the right environment can help you progress faster and build confidence in your Ollie.

• Flat Ground: Start practicing your Ollie on flat, smooth ground. A level surface will give you the best chance to focus on the technique without worrying about obstacles or uneven terrain.
• Avoid Distractions: Find a quiet, safe space to practice so you can focus on your form. Avoid crowded areas or places with too much going on, as they can distract you and interfere with your concentration.
• Use a Skatepark: Once you get more comfortable with your Ollie, try practicing at a skatepark. Skateparks offer a variety of obstacles and smooth surfaces where you can experiment with your Ollie and work on more advanced tricks.

The right environment will help you feel more comfortable and allow you to refine your skills more effectively.

Watch Your Foot Placement and Adjust

A common mistake is not paying enough attention to foot placement during the Ollie. Even slight misalignments in your feet can affect the pop and drag, leading to inconsistent results.

• Back Foot Position: Ensure your back foot is fully on the tail of the board, with your toes hanging off just slightly. This will give you the most control over the pop.
• Front Foot Position: Your front foot should be positioned across the skateboard, but not too far forward. It should be placed just slightly behind the front bolts to give you enough leverage for the drag and to help guide the board in the air.
• Adjustments: As you continue practicing, take note of how the board responds to your foot placement. If you notice that your Ollie feels off, try adjusting your foot placement and see how it affects the height and control.

Small adjustments in foot placement can have a big impact on the quality of your Ollie, so pay close attention to how your feet interact with the board.

Develop Consistency Through Repetition

Like any skill, mastering the Ollie requires consistent practice. The more you practice, the more natural the movements will become.

• Focus on Repetition: Aim for quality, not just quantity. Practice the Ollie in short sessions, focusing on your form, technique, and the timing of the pop, drag, and jump.
• Track Progress: Record yourself occasionally to track your progress. This will allow you to see how your Ollie improves over time and where you may need to make adjustments.
• Don't Rush: It's important to be patient and persistent. The Ollie can take time to perfect, but with consistent practice, you will see steady improvement.

Repetition is key to building muscle memory, so don't get discouraged if you don't get it right away. Keep practicing, and your Ollies will become more consistent and fluid.

Don't Be Afraid to Fall

Falling is an inevitable part of skateboarding, and it's especially common when learning new tricks like the Ollie. However, learning to fall safely and not being afraid of it is an important step in mastering the Ollie.

• Wear Protective Gear: Always wear protective gear, especially when learning. A helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads can significantly reduce the risk of injury and allow you to practice more confidently.
• Learn to Fall Properly: Instead of putting your hands out in front of you, try to roll when you fall. This can help reduce the impact and prevent injury.
• Embrace the Process: Falling is a natural part of skateboarding. Every fall teaches you something about your technique and helps you get closer to landing the trick.

By embracing the process and not being afraid of falling, you'll push through mental barriers and continue progressing toward your goal of mastering the Ollie.

Conclusion

Mastering the Ollie is a significant milestone for any skateboarder. By focusing on proper stance, timing, strength, and technique, you can elevate your Ollie from a basic trick to a clean, controlled maneuver that forms the foundation for all other skateboarding tricks. Keep practicing, stay patient, and remember that every small improvement brings you closer to mastering one of the most iconic tricks in skateboarding. Happy shredding!

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