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Help with ollies

5K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  snowboardboi 
#1 ·
Lately I've been trying to learn ollies so I'm ready for the upcoming season. I've looked up alot of tutorials and have been trying to learn for a few days. So far im understanding the basic concept is to use the tail to pop off the ground. I just made a video of me trying to ollie and would love suggestions on form, etc. Ollie attempt - YouTube would love some help.
 
#3 ·
I can't watch the video at work, but the ollie is pretty basic. Shift your weight back a little to load the tail, then start lifting the front foot, and as the nose starts to rise, really push down and off of your back foot, straightening out your back leg as you do so. This should provide the "pop" from the loaded tail. Then suck up those legs to make sure you are clearing whatever you are trying to ollie over, and follow it up with putting them back down so that you can ride away. The trick is to make this all one fluid, effortless looking motion. Practice all you want on flat ground, but due so knowing that it is a differnet feeling once you're on snow. Same principle, but different feeling. Learning to ollie a skatebaoard can help as well, since the motions are very similar. I'm sure someone else will chime in with a better desciption than I have provided, but this should help you get an idea at least.
 
#5 ·
Hey, Nickx;

Your ollie is almost a straight pop, but that's a pretty normal part of the learning process. Need to put a little more oomph on one end of the board. And just FYI, it's much easier to do when standing still (on carpet or on snow) than when moving down the hill. Don't be discouraged by that.
 
#6 · (Edited)
have become best buds with my riding partner this past year and while he rode the last couple seasons, he didnt have anyone to ride with and he had no background in skateboarding.

i told him "learn to ollie a skateboard, and ollieing a snowboard will be cake"

now obviously the mechanics of a snowboard ollie are a little different, however, big ollies were the only thing i was ever good at sk8ing (skated alot from about age 10-25, now 35), and i have to say that i did not have to learn to ollie a snowboard.

first and foremost the reason behind this is that ollieing a skateboard is HARD. it is a very complicated timed kinetic requiring the perfect mixture of power, finesse and timing. watch ANYONE trying to learn to olllie a sk8 for their first time and its pretty obvious/funny because what they are trying to do usually looks nothing like an ollie.

if u can ollie up a curb on a sk8board you can probably ollie 2 foot on your snowboard.

this maybe the hard way to learn but theres a reason there are alot of sk8 skillz involved in snowboarding and while it may not be easy, i guarantee it will work.
 
#7 ·
after about an hour more of trying, it seems as if my ollie is starting to look more like a real ollie than before. when i slow mo, the nose pops up before the tail even leaves the ground, and then i pop the tail up and level out in the air. I think its just a matter of practice.
 
#8 ·
It is a matter of practice. You seem to be younger and not a lot of body size you may need to pull a little more on your front foot since you don't have the body mass to help you. Keep practicing and watch others do it, you'll get there
 
#11 ·
You have a little while before it starts to snow - I would pick up a skateboard and learn to ollie on that. If you can ollie on a skateboard you will be able to ollie on your snowboard. They're very different yet very similar.

Learning to ollie on a skateboard will help you understand the physics and mechanics, of the art, of the ollie.
 
#15 ·
Bravo, Snowolf.. Your explanation is complicated yet simple, understandable and informative. How do you do it? I can't for the life of me explain any aspect of snowboarding in order to teach friends and family.

Just to add my 2 cents, I agree with the "learn to ollie on a skateboard" idea. I had been skating for 3-4 years before ever touching a snowboard and ollie's on a snowboard came very naturally to me.
 
#18 ·
Lean back more. Don't learn ollies first. Learn butters. Learn to butter on your tail. When you can butter on your tail, you lean back which helps with ollies. To ollie, just pretend you are going to butter, but instead of holding it, use your leaning back motion to bend to board and snap it up. Remember lift front leg first with back leg bent then straighten your back leg to transfer your pop up into your body. When you go flying up, bend your knees in and bring them up. This maximizes your height. You may even try going for some grabs after you get lots of air. When you are at your high point, straighten both legs to stomp the landing. Land on both feet at the same time but remember to bend your knees as you land.
 
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