What is Nollie? How to Do it? It is Easy?

Hey there, skate enthusiasts! Ever heard of the ‘nollie’ and wondered what the heck it is? Or maybe you’re trying to add a new trick to your skating skills but don’t know where to start? Well, you’re in the right spot!

In this fun and easy guide, I’ll break down what a Nollie is, how it’s different from an ollie or a fakie, and most importantly, how to nail one.

What is Nollie?

Nollie is short for “nose ollie.” It’s a skateboarding trick that involves popping off the nose of the skateboard instead of the tail, which is used for a traditional ollie.

The skater performs the trick while moving forward and pops the nose of the skateboard down while sliding the back foot up towards the tail.

Difference Between Ollie and Nollie

The primary difference between an ollie and a nollie lies in the part of the skateboard used to pop off the ground. In an ollie, the skateboarder uses the tail of the skateboard to lift off the ground, while in a nollie, the skateboarder uses the nose of the skateboard instead.

The motion of both tricks is somewhat similar, but the direction is reversed. Both involve popping the board and sliding the foot to direct the board into the air. However, in a nollie, the skater’s body position is reversed. They pop the board using their leading foot and slide their trailing foot towards the tail of the board.

How to Do Nollie: Step by Step

Learning to nollie requires practice and patience, just like any other skateboarding trick. Here are the steps to get you started:

Step 1: Position your feet correctly. Place your front foot (the foot you usually use to pop an ollie) on the nose of the skateboard. Your back foot should be across the skateboard, ready to slide towards the tail.

Step 2: Apply pressure on the nose of the skateboard with your front foot. This will lift the tail of the skateboard off the ground.

Step 3: As you pop the nose down, simultaneously slide your back foot up towards the tail of the skateboard. This motion will guide the skateboard into the air.

Step 4: Once the skateboard is in the air, level it out by bringing your front foot up.

Step 5: As the skateboard starts descending, prepare to land by bending your knees slightly.

Step 6: Land with both feet on the bolts, bend your knees to absorb the impact, and roll away.

Nollie Flip Techniques

Now that you have the basic nollie down, let’s move onto nollie flips. This trick is a variation of the nollie where the skateboard performs a kickflip after the nollie pop.

The first technique involves your foot placement. Placing your front foot right in the middle of the tail will help you stay balanced and achieve an effortless pop. This foot positioning allows you to pop the nose down with less work, but still get a good height on your nollie flip.

The second technique is all about the flick. After you pop the nose down, immediately lift your front foot up out of the way. This allows the skateboard to complete the flip without catching your foot.

Practicing the flick and getting your front foot out of the way can be a game-changer in nailing the nollie flip. Start by practicing the flick motion without the skateboard, just to get a feel of it. Then gradually incorporate the skateboard and practice until you can execute a clean nollie flip.

Fakie vs Nollie

In a fakie, the skateboarder rides in the opposite direction from their usual stance, with the tail leading the way. The tricks performed in this stance are similar to regular tricks, but are done in the opposite direction.

For example, an ollie performed while riding fakie would be similar to performing a nollie in a regular stance, since the skateboarder uses the tail of the board to pop off the ground.

However, the nollie and the fakie are distinct tricks with unique techniques. The nollie uses the nose of the board to pop, and the motion is reversed, as the skater slides the trailing foot towards the tail while popping the nose down with the leading foot. In contrast, a fakie ollie uses the tail to pop, with the skater sliding their leading foot towards the nose of the board.

How to Nollie Heelflip?

Ready to level up your skateboarding skills? Let’s learn the nollie heelflip! This trick might look a bit intimidating, but with some practice, you’ll nail it. Let’s break it down:

Foot Positioning Position your front foot around the middle of the board and your back foot near the tail. Think of the nollie heelflip as a backward switch heel flip. Got it? Great! Let’s move on.

The Pop and Flip When you’re ready, pop your board just like you would for a nollie. As soon as you do, scoop your front foot up and to the side. This motion will make your board flip. Try practicing this flip on flat ground before moving to obstacles.

Stay Above Your Board Here’s the tricky bit: you need to stay above your board during the flip. It might take a few tries (and a few falls), but eventually, you’ll land on your board and roll away smoothly.

Nollie Heelflip Off an Obstacle Once you’re comfortable with flat ground, try the nollie heelflip off an obstacle. The key here is timing. Pop your board right before you reach the edge of the obstacle. This way, you’ll avoid ending up in an awkward position on your board.

Williams Jayson

I am a longboarding enthusiast and a blogger. On this blog, I share tips, tricks, and advice based on my experience. I am dedicated to helping newbies improve their skills and enjoy this fun activity to the fullest.