The Easiest Way to Learn an Ollie

If you can’t ollie yet, don’t worry—I’ve got a few drills that will help you get there. If you already can ollie but struggle with consistency, this will make it easier. Instead of rushing to kickflips or tre flips, let’s slow down and improve the foundation of our ollie, making it as effortless as possible.

The Ollie Complex: Breaking It Down

The drills we’ll use to build up to an ollie are:

1. Hippie Jump

2. Hippie Jump with Nose Lift

3. Hippie Jump with Tail Hit

4. Ollie

A lot of our focus will be on transitioning from a hippie jump where your tail barely taps the ground to a fully controlled ollie where the board levels out in the air.

Step 1: Mastering the Hippie Jump

The first step in learning to ollie is perfecting the hippie jump. Here’s how to do it correctly:

• Foot Positioning:

  • Front foot: Just under or touching the front bolts.

  • Back foot: Fully on the board, not hanging off the edge.

  • Too narrow = loss of balance; too wide = harder to pop. Find your sweet spot.

• Jumping Technique:

  • Keep the board flat as you push into your feet.

  • Avoid leaning off to the heels or toes—use a straight push.

  • Set up your wheels on a crack to check if you’re jumping straight.

• Landing:

  • Land with your back foot on the tail and front foot under the front bolts.

  • Don’t lose connection with your feet—land in the same position you took off.

Step 2: Lifting the Nose in a Hippie Jump

Once you have the basic hippie jump down, the next step is learning how to lift the nose. Here’s the key:

• Balance Shift:

  • You’re not shifting your weight forward or backward to lift the nose.

  • Instead, create space under your front foot by slightly jumping.

• Technique to Try:

  • Jump but only lift your back foot at first—this will cause the nose to rise naturally.

  • Progress to jumping higher while keeping your feet at the same level in the air.

• Feel the Tension:

  • Stand on your tail and push your front foot down without tipping over.

  • Find the balance point where your back trucks hold your weight.

  • Practice shifting between a hippie jump and a controlled nose lift.

Step 3: Hitting the Tail on the Ground

Now, let’s introduce the tail hit into our hippie jump:

• Lifting the Front Foot:

  • The height of your front foot controls how much the tail touches the ground.

  • Dragging the front foot up onto the nose requires a higher lift.

  • Bringing the front foot inside while lifting requires less height.

• Using Knees and Shoulders for Control:

  • Instead of looking at your board, focus on moving your knee toward your shoulder.

  • Try lifting your knee toward different body positions (center, back shoulder, etc.).

• Spacing Your Jump from the Tail Hit:

  • Don’t smash the tail down and then jump.

  • Instead, jump off the board with the nose barely lifted and let the tail hit naturally.

  • The more space between your jump and the tail hit, the better your control will be for an ollie.

Step 4: The Final Step to Ollies

Once you can control your hippie jump, lift the nose, and hit the tail with control, transitioning to an ollie becomes much easier. The goal is to find a clean balance between jumping, controlling foot tension, and guiding the board with your front foot.

Pro Tip: Experiment with bouncing your tail multiple times in one jump. This helps develop touch and control over how the tail reacts to pressure.

Final Thoughts

Most people rush to the next trick without mastering the basics. Take an hour to practice these drills, and you’ll see significant improvements in your ollie technique. Progressing at this pace ensures you build a strong foundation rather than struggling with inconsistencies later.

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