It’s one of the most-used and valuable skills in a snowboarder’s quiver, Simply put the ollie is an air where you pop off the snow using only your board and body, versus launching off a terrain feature. It comes in handy for hitting jumps, transitioning on and off rails, and in the halfpipe. Not to mention, it’s fun to ollie over frozen death cookies, Slow! signs, and other obstacles.
To start, practice popping an ollie while standing still, on a relatively flat area. Crouch low, bend at your knees and slightly at the waist.
Shift your weight towards the back foot, load the tail, and allow the flex of the board to pop you off the snow. As you’re popping into the air, pull your knees up for maximum vertical, and extend your legs down toward the snow as you approach the landing.
Don’t try and get all fancy with the landing: stomp it with your weight centered over the board, landing as balanced as possible. Voila! Now you’re ready to ollie while riding—follow the same principles, and be sure to pop off a flat base.—MH
