I just can't ollie!

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I just can't ollie!

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JoeSchmofo

Joined site: 3 Mar 2014

Posts: 181

#1 Topic: I just can't ollie!

Posted 18 August 2015 - 11:51am

Now, I don't want to do 180s and flips off kickers (I'm 43 yer know) I just want to be able to carve the mountain and when the feeling takes me do a little ollie off a lumpy bit of snow. Is that too much to ask? Is it?

Now I know what to do. I know the technique but I just can't get my legs to be that responsive or that agile.

I spent a few hours in the big fridge at Hemel on Sat with the express intention of practising, and my presses are ok but I just can get the board in the air..... I decided to blame my weedy leg muscles.

Any advice/insults welcome.....

“Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death.”

nickmotture

Joined site: 9 Jan 2006

Posts: 5413

#2 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 18 August 2015 - 1:53pm

Get less weedy leg muscles.

Well you did ask

Tiberius

Joined site: 17 Oct 2004

Posts: 962

#3 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 18 August 2015 - 2:02pm

Nah, it's not about leg muscles, it's about transferring your weight and using the spring in your board.

Match your board to your body and riding style. The biggest mistake I ever made was buying an expensive pro-level board. It was way too stiff for my riding; basically I didn't ride with enough power to flex the board. 2 answers, ride with more aggression, or eat more pies

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Tiberius is a socialist. His views may not necessarily be supported by his owner.

JoeSchmofo

Joined site: 3 Mar 2014

Posts: 181

#4 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 20 August 2015 - 1:20pm

I guess you are right... as I'm new to tricks n stuff, I'm a bit careful about it all and tend to do it all in slow and seperate stages instead of one flowing motion. i.e butter then jump then either think "that was a bit sh1t" or fall over.

“Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death.”

JoeSchmofo

Joined site: 3 Mar 2014

Posts: 181

#5 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 20 August 2015 - 1:20pm

“Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death.”

ace_mcgraw

Joined site: 20 Feb 2007

Posts: 2713

#6 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 21 August 2015 - 8:05am

I'd seriously recommend getting on a Maverix or Definition course - they will take you through all of these and your riding generally will improve.

Fancy some lovely artwork ? www.ameliabowman.co.uk
Nice Photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ace_mcgraw/

JoeSchmofo

Joined site: 3 Mar 2014

Posts: 181

#7 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 21 August 2015 - 9:21am

I plan to do so. I did the freesyle fundamentals course at Hemel, but it was a bit of a whistlestop tour.

“Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death.”

JoeSchmofo

Joined site: 3 Mar 2014

Posts: 181

#8 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 21 August 2015 - 9:21am

Oh for goodness sake! I posted twice again.

Edited by JoeSchmofo on 21 Aug 2015 - 9:22am

“Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death.”

Richard_Sideways

Joined site: 28 Sep 2009

Posts: 72

#9 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 21 August 2015 - 9:34am

Like you - couldn't ollie for shart. Did the Definitions course at Hemel and they're good fun and you get the technical advice which is good. But the key is, as always, Practice Practice Practice. I didn't 'get it' properly until I had some proper mountain time and a bit of space to bugger it up a few times without worrying so much about whats around me. Most say I still can't get the damn thing in the air but I can just about loft it off the deck far enough to switch ends.

CAUTION: The above post may contain small pieces of humour and irony which may choke small children and the serious

charlie

Joined site: 11 Oct 2004

Posts: 3717

#10 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 21 August 2015 - 3:02pm

I'm certainly not a freestyle instructor but I taught someone to ollie by getting them to bounce about on their tail stationary on the flat and then learning to rapidly shift their weight to the nose. That's essentially the movement, but without shifting all the way to the nose. Exaggerating the movement seemed to help though.

Like someone has already said, it's just practice. You really don't need strong legs to ollie, though it helps for doing bigger ones.

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rob_vet69

Joined site: 6 Jan 2011

Posts: 794

#11 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 22 August 2015 - 10:20am

+1 for lessons.

Maverix were great when I did their flatland course a couple of years back. Couldn't ollie for toffee before and by the end they had my ollie-ing over a decent-sized bar.

Strength isn't that important, it's more about timing I find.

StuPaton

Joined site: 5 Dec 2009

Posts: 9

#12 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 24 August 2015 - 8:13pm

What I find helpful for practicing ollies/nollies/most things is just strapping my board on in the kitchen, or just about anywhere else like the living room or garden, and practicing hopping about the place. Helped a lot when I was first practicing buttering.

Pearfish

Joined site: 2 Mar 2014

Posts: 29

#13 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 28 August 2015 - 12:43pm

If you have presses locked in oldies should be a doddle just make sure you transfer your weight to the front foot first then to the back and use the flex of the board to pop you in the air. Have a look on you tube plenty of tutoriLs.

ace_mcgraw

Joined site: 20 Feb 2007

Posts: 2713

#14 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 28 August 2015 - 2:28pm

Pearfish wrote:

that sounds more like a nollie to me. Surely you want to transfer weight to the tail of the board, then use the flex to spring off that?

Fancy some lovely artwork ? www.ameliabowman.co.uk
Nice Photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ace_mcgraw/

StuPaton

Joined site: 5 Dec 2009

Posts: 9

#15 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 28 August 2015 - 8:45pm

ace_mcgraw wrote:

Pearfish wrote:

that sounds more like a nollie to me. Surely you want to transfer weight to the tail of the board, then use the flex to spring off that?

I think Pear is more talking along the lines of rocking onto your front edge before shifting back to get more pop. Could be wrong though.

RichardDay

Joined site: 26 Feb 2015

Posts: 3

#16 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 28 May 2016 - 8:31pm on Snowboard Club UK

RichardDay

Joined site: 26 Feb 2015

Posts: 3

#17 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 28 May 2016 - 8:59pm on Snowboard Club UK

Opps try again

I would recommend getting tuition at a snowdome. youtube is great but it doesn't tell you why you are getting it wrong.
I've just done a freestyle in a day session at Tamworth with andy, we covered ollies, buttering, boxes, ramps but most importantly basic technique, all done with helpfull pointers (and video).
At 56 I have a fear of pain but this day was great , I even went back the next day for another 2 hours to practice my new skills

Stomped_snowboarding

Joined site: 19 Sep 2016

Posts: 3

#18 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 19 September 2016 - 9:17pm on Snowboard Club UK

Pearfish is right, you can swing you weight bending the knees from front food to back foot projecting the weight to the tail and the kinetic energy will help you flexing it more and having a stronger pop. Make sure you´re using a soft or mid flex board.

Stomped Snowboarding
info

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http://stompedsnowboarding.com

Deeply_D

Joined site: 7 Jun 2013

Posts: 113

#19 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 23 September 2016 - 10:58pm on Snowboard Club UK

my biggest problem was that when I did get a decent pop, I wasn't used to the feeling and would panic a bit/ be over cautious, I got over that by just going off bumps and stuff, small kickers if i could find them without trying to pop at all.

Once I got used to having a bit of air and landing OK, getting a bit of pop was a lot less intimidating.

Having said that, I'm not getting very high, just enough to feel I'm actually getting airborne. I saw someone on another thing complaining of their frustration that they could only ollie about 3 foot! WTF!

Deeply_D

Joined site: 7 Jun 2013

Posts: 113

#20 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 23 September 2016 - 11:07pm on Snowboard Club UK

PS any thoughts on board flex as I'm not convinced that a softer board will make ollies easier, easier to press obviously but the harder it is to flex, the more energy stored surely?

I've got a soft board and a medium flex and I can definitely go a wee bit higher on the stiffer one.

Stomped_snowboarding

Joined site: 19 Sep 2016

Posts: 3

#21 Reply: I just can't ollie!

Posted 25 September 2016 - 9:17pm on Snowboard Club UK

Deeply_D

You´re right, if a board is too soft, does´t help to do big ollies but they are easier to do. It needs some response. Anyway, to go bigger you have to join boards pop with a back foot jump (the nose should be already in the air, pick it up with front foot), and bring the board to your body bending the knees to your chest and keeping board flat and parallel to the ground. Extend your legs before landing and bend the knees again to a smooth landing. Try to land with both feet at same time and balanced with your body perpendicular to the ground.

Its easier to practice first jumping with both feet together and see how big you can jump, start feeling the air, bringing board to the body and STOMPING the trick.

Stomped Snowboarding
info

stompedsnowboarding [dot] com
http://stompedsnowboarding.com

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