So you’ve picked up a fingerboard and are wondering how to use it, right? They are far more fun when you actually learn how to do tricks. At its core, using fingerboards is just like skateboarding. But rather than feet and legs, you’re using your fingers. It can be difficult at first, even if you are a skateboarder. It’s a completely different physical action required to pop a fingerboard than it is to pop a skateboard.
Wondering how to ollie on a fingerboard? This is the first trick you need to learn, as it’s the foundation of all other tricks you can do. Perfecting the fingerboard ollie requires patience but makes fingerboards way more fun.
Keep reading to learn how to fingerboard the right way, and what fingerboard tricks you should learn next.
What is an Ollie?
Maybe you are trying out fingerboards because you’ve never had the nerve to get on a skateboard. Skateboarding has a lot of risks involved, and it’s very easy to get seriously hurt. So fingerboards are a fun, casual option to enjoy the sport. Plus, you can do it from the comfort of your home.
But if you don’t have a skateboard background, you might not know what an ollie actually is. Basically, an ollie is an act of jumping with a skateboard or fingerboard. Most people don’t view it as a trick, but more as a basic technique. When skateboarding, an ollie is the foundation of all other tricks. It gets you and your board off the ground, allowing you to jump over, onto, or into an obstacle.
Once you learn how to ollie, you can then begin to learn the fun tricks, such as shove-its, kickflips, and all the other cool tricks. So whether you have skateboarding experience or not, learning to ollie on a fingerboard takes some effort.
How to Ollie on a Fingerboard?
So what does it take to ollie when fingerboarding? It starts with finger placement.
Finger Placement for Ollies
One of the most important fingerboard tips for beginners is learning correct finger placement. It will always determine the success (or failure) of your trick. For an ollie, as with most other tricks, you’ll likely use your index finger in the front and your middle finger in the back. Place your middle or back finger on the tail of the board. The tail is the end of the board that curves upward.
Then, place your front or index finger somewhere between the middle of the board and the front bolts of the board. As you practice, you’ll figure out your preferred finger location.
With ollies and other tricks, both on skateboards and fingerboards, everyone has their ideal foot or finger placement. But in order to learn the trick in the first place, always start where recommended.
Popping the Board
Now that your fingers are in place, it’s time to pop the board. To pop the board, simply push or tap down with your rear finger, causing the tail to hit the ground. This pops the front of the board up into the air.
Maintain Control
You need to keep your fingers on the board at all times to maintain control. When you first pop the board, it will be in a near-vertical position. Use your front finger to gently move the front of the board forward, flattening the board in the air.
Stick the Landing
To land the ollie, both fingers should be on the board. All four wheels should hit the ground at the same time. A clean landing would see your fingers sitting on the bolts, as opposed to the nose, tail, or middle of the board.
There you have it, your first trick on the fingerboard. Sure, it likely looks messy right now. But as you continue practicing, your ollies will get easier, cleaner, and higher.
Other Easy Fingerboard Tricks
So what should you learn after the ollie? There are so many options. When learning fingerboard for beginners, these tricks should be next on your list.
1. Nollie
The nollie is just like an ollie, but you pop the board using the nose instead of the tail. To perform an ollie, now you’ll place your front finger on the nose of the board and your rear finger in the middle of the board.
It will feel weird at first since it’s the reverse process of everything you just learned. But nollies are fun and foundational as well. Most tricks can be performed either by initiating an ollie or a nollie.
2. 180 Ollie
A 180 ollie is the rotation of your board and hand 180 degrees after an ollie. This means it’s half a rotation. It’s the easiest spin you can tackle. To successfully land a 180, your entire hand will spin with the board.
3. Pop Shove-It
Similar to a 180, and easier in some ways, is the pop shove-it. Rather than spinning both your hand and the board, a pop shove-it only spins the board.
You’ll ollie and cause the board to spin 180 degrees or a half rotation. The spin takes place while completing the ollie. As you are popping the board, you’ll scoop the tail of the board outwards to cause the board to spin in the air.
4. Super Ollie
The super ollie will test your control of the board. This trick is an ollie that lands in a nose manual. This means that your fingers are balancing the board in such a way that only the front wheels are touching the ground. The rear wheels and the entire deck are elevated.
5. Impossible
Let’s add some flip tricks into the mix. An impossible is an ollie that allows the board to pop backward all the way, completing an entire flip over your fingers. Once the flip is complete, you’ll land back on the board. If it seems hard, well, that’s kind of the point.
Which Trick Is Next?
Whether you love skateboarding and are looking for ways to stay engaged with the sport on rainy days, or you’ve never even tried it, fingerboards are fun. Plain and simple. Now that you know how to ollie on a fingerboard, it’s time to start learning how to land dozens of other tricks. You can also start to mess around with ramps and obstacles.
Looking for other tips and tricks like this? Check out our blog today for more articles.
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