Author Topic: Getting straight ollies again (Read 12131 times)

dragonblade · « **on:** October 01, 2018, 02:25:37 AM »

It's been a long time since I skated regularly (mid to late 80s and early 90s) and I'm getting back into it now. There's an odd habit I developed during ollies back then and I wouldn't be surprised if it appears again when I start doing ollies again. When I used to ollie while I was moving, I was practising turning the board in the air (roughly about 45 degrees and later 180 degrees.) I'd usually do this up over gutters and a small ledge etc. I was getting quite proficient at this and then eventually, it became a habit that I just couldn't kick. It got to the point where if I was ollieing on the move, I would automatically rotate the board and myself. I could not do a straight ollie anymore while moving. Though I could still ollie straight while stationary. Any tips on how to kick this habit? Guess I could try rolling super slowly and see if that helps.

SUPREMENECKPROTECTOR · « **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2018, 04:14:20 AM »

Keep the shoulders aligned with the board.

the snake · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2018, 04:32:03 AM »

you have to get born again first

I sniff Jim Gagne's butthole all the time · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2018, 06:25:17 AM »

bukowski said the most important thing was how well you walked through the fire so i suggest you start a structure fire and walk through it, practicing keeping your shoulders straight.

Jollyoli · « **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2018, 06:53:37 AM »

Get a red hat with the slogan -
MAKE OLLIES STRAIGHT AGAIN

FS-OverKOOK · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2018, 08:28:49 AM »

when in doubt, go faster.

planman · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2018, 08:33:27 AM »

Keep your shoulders straight and front foot perpendicular to the board

dragonblade · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2018, 09:44:50 AM »

Quote from: planman on October 01, 2018, 08:33:27 AM

Keep your shoulders straight and front foot perpendicular to the board

Yea that's my position right before the ollie. Though as soon as I pop the board, I instinctively turn my body and rotate the board frontside. I can't help myself. It's like it's become automatic. Somehow Ive got to stop myself doing that when I intend to ollie straight.

It's amazing how strong this habit has become. Even after I had stopped skateboarding for several years and took up sandboarding, I still found myself turning frontside when I was jumping off a small dune on my sandboard. That habit had carried over from my skateboarding days.

Hmmm....I wonder if learning how to ollie backside might break the habit. I could alternate backside and frontside over and over again.

E · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2018, 01:26:55 PM »

Here's an idea, stop talking about skating on this message board and go out and skate.

Baron Samedi · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2018, 02:25:48 PM »

Quote from: E on October 01, 2018, 01:26:55 PM

Here's an idea, stop talking about skating on this message board and go out and skate.

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn

wooooooooooo

fuckin BUUUUUUUUURN

dragonblade · « **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2018, 07:12:33 PM »

Quote from: E on October 01, 2018, 01:26:55 PM

Here's an idea, stop talking about skating on this message board and go out and skate.

I'm skating every day - relearning the basics.

Pigeon · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2018, 07:14:35 PM »

Ask your local priest for conversion therapy.

dragonblade · « **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2018, 07:38:16 PM »

Quote from: Pigeon on October 01, 2018, 07:14:35 PM

Ask your local priest for conversion therapy.

Lol.

sharkin · « **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2018, 07:52:01 PM »

Gotta keep them hands down playa s/o j scott

SneakySecrets · « **Reply #14 on:** October 01, 2018, 07:52:40 PM »

Shoulders shoulders shoulders. Your body will follow your shoulders.

FS-OverKOOK · « **Reply #15 on:** October 02, 2018, 07:46:13 AM »

maybe try letting your front leg control a little more and bone it out forward. Like when you jump over something(without a board) you jump and stick the legs up and over. If any of that makes sense. Keep pushing.

nopes · « **Reply #16 on:** October 02, 2018, 06:37:41 PM »

i think this often happens because you are not yet comfortable on the board, especially with speed, so when you leave the ground going sideways you instinctively turn your back shoulder inwards so that you are pointing forwards and in a much safer, and natural, landing position.

you can really really focus on keeping your body aligned and not rotating but most likely you just need to get more comfortable riding again. you need to start rolling around faster and learning to stop so that you feel in control on the board before getting off the ground.

dragonblade · « **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2018, 07:58:11 PM »

Quote from: nopes on October 02, 2018, 06:37:41 PM

i think this often happens because you are not yet comfortable on the board, especially with speed, so when you leave the ground going sideways you instinctively turn your back shoulder inwards so that you are pointing forwards and in a much safer, and natural, landing position.

Actually, this is a habit that I developed in the 1980s when I was more than comfortable on the board. I was riding for about 5 years or so during this period. When I first started turning the board during ollies, this was intentional. I wanted to turn the board in the air. Eventually, I could do 180 ollies. Before then, I could ollie straight while on the move. Though after practising turning the board frontside during ollies again and again, it became a habit - something I would do automatically while I was on the move.

Although that was a long time ago, Ive got a feeling that the habit might reappear when I start doing ollies on the move again. Cos I was doing the same thing with sandboarding a number of years after I had left skating. Though a few years after that, it wasn't an issue when I was doing snowboarding. I was jumping straight on a snowboard and only rotated the board when I intended to do so. I'm going to start ollieing again soon (after more flatground basics practise) so it will be interesting to see if the habit's still there or not.

the snake · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2018, 09:06:29 PM »

brain surgery could fix that

Roisto · « **Reply #19 on:** October 03, 2018, 02:41:14 AM »

So, you haven’t ollied in 30 years and you decided to post a topic about fixing an issue you had with your ollies 30 years ago?

dragonblade · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2018, 03:02:44 AM »

Quote from: Roisto on October 03, 2018, 02:41:14 AM

So, you haven’t ollied in 30 years and you decided to post a topic about fixing an issue you had with your ollies 30 years ago?

Well the habit carried over into my sandboarding which was a number of years after I had stopped skating. So there's a fair chance that it might reappear. And I can't explain why but Ive got this really strong feeling that it will be an issue when I start doing ollies on the move again.

SneakySecrets · « **Reply #21 on:** October 03, 2018, 06:00:09 AM »

Ah, the classic 30 year layover sandboard-induced anticipatory shifty ollie no tailguard shock syndrome. Seen it a million times.

givecigstosurfgroms · « **Reply #22 on:** October 03, 2018, 08:35:57 AM »

Just pop and land. Don't do the big thing with the front foot. Don't try to get ANY height at all. Just pop your tail, get the back wheels off the ground a centimeter, and put down the landing gear. The only reason your turning sideways is cause ur trying to get the height before youve got the style down. Don't set up anything to Ollie over or try to go up anything - just flat. Make sure your landing on ur whole foot rather than the balls of your feet.

dragonblade · « **Reply #23 on:** October 03, 2018, 10:09:53 AM »

Interesting advice. Okay, I won't try to ollie high. I used to ollie over low things like gutters and a pile of about 4 or 5 bricks (while turning frontside.) My ollies were straight when I was stationary. And also straight when I was just starting to do them on the move...though that didn't last long.

givecigstosurfgroms · « **Reply #24 on:** October 03, 2018, 10:21:27 AM »

Quote from: dragonblade on October 03, 2018, 10:09:53 AM

Interesting advice. Okay, I won't try to ollie high. I used to ollie over low things like gutters and a pile of about 4 or 5 bricks (while turning frontside.) My ollies were straight when I was stationary. And also straight when I was just starting to do them on the move...though that didn't last long.

Good, just do them on flat with an emphasis on rolling and stick with little taps. Pretend in your mind that you're ollie-ing something big. -always keep it fun. Skating is the shit. The higher Ollie's will eventually happen.

I sniff Jim Gagne's butthole all the time · « **Reply #25 on:** October 03, 2018, 10:35:35 AM »

ollie the bricks stationary and straight. bing, bang boom i just put you up on game.
keep that shifty shit for when there's a curb to the side of you.

E · « **Reply #26 on:** October 03, 2018, 11:09:26 AM »

Quote from: Roisto on October 03, 2018, 02:41:14 AM

So, you haven’t ollied in 30 years and you decided to post a topic about fixing an issue you had with your ollies 30 years ago?

Thank you! I thought I was going crazy...

dragonblade · « **Reply #27 on:** October 03, 2018, 11:27:50 PM »

Today's show was brought to you by the letter 'E.'

'E' for error.

Paco Supreme · « **Reply #28 on:** October 04, 2018, 12:43:26 AM »

You even brought the board yet chief?

dragonblade · « **Reply #29 on:** October 04, 2018, 01:06:37 AM »

Quote from: Paco Supreme on October 04, 2018, 12:43:26 AM

You even brought the board yet chief?

"Brought?" The past tense version of "bring." Don't you mean "bought"? If you're referring to a potential purchase then yes. All done online. In the meantime, I've been riding my very first skateboard which was purchased in the mid 1980s from Super Elliots in Adelaide, South Australia. Grip tape is pretty much worn out and the trucks, wheels and bearings have seen better days. But it's sufficient for refamiliarising myself with the basics which I've been practising every day.

By the way, sort of related to the topic at hand - I found ollie kicklips pretty easy to learn. That was actually one of the last tricks I was learning before I left the hobby. Though I never did those on the move - only did them while stationary. I actually wonder if they could be beneficial in getting me to kick this habit. These were 1980s Powell Peralta boards that I was learning the kickflips on which were quite wide and I found them easy to flip.

Upon my return to skateboarding, I would have preferred to use those PP boards to relearn the basics but they were both stolen.