Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
The ollie is the foundational skateboarding trick and the basis of almost every street trick. The skater snaps the tail of the board down against the ground (the ‘pop’) while sliding the front foot up the board, levelling it out in mid-air so board and rider rise together. Invented by Alan ‘Ollie’ Gelfand in the late 1970s (originally on transition) and adapted to flat ground by Rodney Mullen, it revolutionised skateboarding by letting skaters jump obstacles and onto ledges. Kickflips, shuvits, grinds and most street tricks all build on the ollie, which is why mastering it first is essential.
- Pop the tail, slide the front foot up
- Board and rider rise with no hands
- Basis of almost every street trick
- Master it before flip tricks
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Open the Skateboard Trick Progression Guide →In practice
The ollie — popping the board into the air without using the hands — is the foundational trick that underpins the vast majority of skateboarding's more advanced maneuvers, since the same tail-snap and front-foot-slide mechanics used in a basic ollie are the starting point for kickflips, heelflips and most grinding or rail tricks.
FAQ
Why is the ollie considered so fundamental in skateboarding?
Its tail-pop and front-foot leveling mechanics form the technical basis for most flip tricks and many grinds, making it one of the first tricks skaters learn and a prerequisite for a huge share of more advanced tricks.
How long does it typically take to learn an ollie?
Timelines vary widely, but most beginners need anywhere from a few sessions to several weeks of consistent practice to land a basic ollie reliably on flat ground.