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.
Key points
- 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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