Snowboard Tricktionary :: The Ollie

Soaring into the sky is the most amazing thing to do on a snowboard. It’s also the most dangerous! You have to learn how to ollie off the ground so that you are in complete control of the situation when you’re in the air… or you could end up like a pancake. Snowboarding tricktionary is going to teach you the step-by-step procedure about how to do an ollie.

Snowboarding - The Ollie

Rail Slides

An Ollie is one of the most regular jumps using the tail of your Snowboard as a spring. It also allows you to control your body going into the air so that you don’t over rotate and land on your head. The better you get, the higher you can jump, giving you more time in the air to try some other fancy tricks. Here’s how you do the ollie:

When starting out, find a gentle slope with as little traffic as possible. Make sure you have lots of space.
Crouch slightly on your board, shifting your weight to your back foot. For many beginners, it is normal to look down at your Snowboard as you start the Ollies. You will learn to look straight ahead as you get comfortable doing this trick.
Start shifting your weight on your back foot to remove the pressure from your front foot. Lift the nose of your Snowboard and use the tail as a spring to get you in the air.
Once your front foot gets airborne, level your board in midair and raise your knees to your chest, keeping the board centered underneath you.
To land, put the nose of the board down. You can also land both feet at the same time. Bend your knees to absorb the impact of the landing.
Once your entire Snowboard touches the ground, ride away and repeat the steps above until you become comfortable doing it.

Air Time

Ollies are very useful if you want to avoid blind landing and obstacles like rocks and branches when traveling fast. Practice and be comfortable in doing this trick. Once you master performing the Ollies, you can learn other aerial tricks and maneuvers.