How to Ollie Higher on a Skateboard

Last Updated: August 10, 2021

If you want to know how to ollie higher on a skateboard, then you have to already know how to perform a basic ollie, which requires you to slide your front foot forward and stomp down, popping the board up to get a little bit of air. To get higher, you have to master your footwork and your jump, and to practice as much as you can. If you want to know how to ollie higher on a skateboard, see Step 1 to get started.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Mastering the Technique

1
Master the footwork. To get the ollie down, you have set up your feet correctly. Traditional set up for the ollie requires you to have your front foot near the middle of the board and your back foot down by the tail of the board. You don't want the back foot to be hanging off the tail, but to be in the middle of the tail so you have a grip on the board. Your front foot should be just behind the last two bolts on the front part of your skateboard, completely parallel to them. Remember that you have to get this down and learn to do a regular ollie before you can start going higher in the air.
2
Move your front foot further back. Now, you shouldn't move the front foot back too much, or your skateboard will just stand up vertically. However, if you've really gotten the regular ollie down solid, then you can move that front foot toward the center of your board, just two or more inches. Sliding that front foot is what gives you your lift, so the more sliding room you have, the higher you will go. You can start by just moving that foot back an extra inch or so, as you get more comfortable in this position.

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3
Slide your front foot further up the board. Now that you have a solid ollie, you can get it higher by sliding your front foot all the way to the nose of the board, up to the part where the board starts to curve upward. This way, your foot will get caught where it starts to rise, and since your foot is no longer sliding, if you keep moving it, it will bring the board higher in the air. Just remember that, even if you get it higher, you will still have to even out your board in the air by pushing gently with your front foot.
4
Jump higher. Jumping higher is what will help you get your ollies higher. To get up higher, you'll need to pop the board harder, suck your feet up with the board, and jump higher than normal, trying to get your knees almost all the way up to your chest. You can raise your arms a bit more to help yourself get that extra lift too. Remember that you'll have to be really comfortable with your ollies to feel good about lifting your knees and body up that high when you jump.
5
Pick your feet up higher. Along with jumping higher, one of your problems may be that you're not picking up your feet high enough. If you want to pick them up high enough, then you have to have your shoulders centered instead of hunching over too much, keeping your weight centered over the board to keep stable. When you snap your back foot, you need to really pull those feet up in the air. Some people focus on just lifting up that front foot, but it's important to have your back foot up, too.
6
Keep your ollie as fluid and smooth as possible. You can get down each aspect of the technique, but the most important part is putting it all together. You want the movement to be as fluid and smooth as possible, so you naturally move from the footwork to the jump, and back to the board again, without having any jagged or awkward movements. Whenever you're trying to get a move down, remember that timing is everything.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Practicing Smart

1
Keep practicing. This may sound obvious, but if you really want to get those ollies higher, then you have to keep practicing. But you can't just practice any old technique, or you'll just be repeating the same mistakes again. If you do master the footwork, jumping higher, sucking your feet and board up, and all of the other techniques we've discussed, then continuing to practice definitely will make perfect.
2
Pick up more speed. Though some people like to practice their ollies first without any speed, you can try rolling to gather a bit more momentum to help you jump higher in the air. It's hard to jump high if you're generating all of the height from your own body without any speed to help you along. So, once you've got the ollie down flat, you can try moving, or even going a bit faster, to help yourself get the momentum you need to jump higher. A lot of people do start their ollies with some speed already, so if this is you, you can just try to go a bit faster as you practice more and more, especially if you're going over objects.
3
Practice jumping over objects. Start small, working on doing an ollie over a garden hose, and then work your way up to doing an ollie over a shoebox, or another object that can be easily toppled without hurting you. Once you master this, you can try two shoeboxes or another higher object. Just making visual contact with an object before you jump over it can motivate you to jump higher than if you have nothing to clear. Having this goal set out for yourself can definitely help you get those ollies higher.
4
Get a fresh board. If you have an old board that isn't in the greatest condition, then you won't be maximizing your ollie potential. A fresh board with some fresh grip tape can help you keep your feet planted on the board, and can also help you suck the board up with you when you jump up, so if you really want to ollie higher, you may consider getting a fresh board.

Community Q&A

Question

Should my tail touch the ground when I pop?

Community Answer

Yes, it should. If it doesn't then you are not generating any leverage to get into the air.
Question

Do I need to leave the board in the air or stay on it when I jump?

Community Answer

You stay on the board, but you need to lift your feet. Try watching tutorials on YouTube if you're confused on how to do one.
Question

Is this okay for an 11 year old to do?

Community Answer

Yes, it is okay. Just be sure that you wear safety gear until you are very comfortable with your ollie though. Practice on grass or on carpet so that if you fall it won’t hurt as much.

Warnings

When attempting this skateboard trick do it on dry, flat ground.

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Wear a helmet! This may sound uncool, but if you fall and bust your head you will wish that you had a helmet on.

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