General
ollie
What does ollie mean?
The foundational skateboarding trick in which the rider pops the tail of the board against the ground with the back foot while sliding the front foot forward, making the board leap into the air with no hands. It is the basis for the majority of modern street and vert tricks.
"He learned to ollie up a curb before he could even do a shove-it."
Origin
Named after inventor Alan 'Ollie' Gelfand, who developed the no-handed air around 1977-78; his nickname 'Ollie' was coined by friend Scott Goodman.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ollie in skateboarding?
It's the foundational no-handed jump where you pop the tail of the board down with your back foot and slide your front foot forward to lift the board into the air.
Where does the name ollie come from?
It's named after Alan 'Ollie' Gelfand, who developed the no-handed air around 1977-78; his nickname was coined by his friend Scott Goodman.
Why is the ollie so important?
It's the basis for the vast majority of modern street and vert tricks, so most skaters learn it first.
How do you do an ollie?
You pop the tail against the ground with your back foot while sliding your front foot up the board, leveling it out in the air and landing back on it.
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