i cant seem to ollie

fazzzzz · Faceplant Joined: 25 Apr 2014 Posts: 5

ive been trying for a bit, not too long but i cant seem to get an ollie. i can manage to get huge air on a wakeskate and im positive im doing the technique right(same as a skateboard) but no matter how hard i try and pop i never get really above the water, and i was wondering if im limitted by my board, i have a 43in hyperlite catalyst, which is a continuous rocker

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10735 City: Jefferton

It's similar, but there's a rhythm to it. You actually push down on your front foot and then snap your tail. Also, you don't slide your front foot up as much, but you definitely kick your foot forward to level it out. The front foot business is called a pre pop. Watch some videos online and pay attention to how others do it. Knowing this might help you recognize the technique better.

Your board is on the large side and i think most rocker lines are 3 stage, but you should still be able to ollie on it.

ben we came to wakeskate · Pop Shuvit Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Posts: 190 City: nahunta

neither can half of the wakeskate community! haha yeah I'm not to sure about the front foot thing Esnow. but i see more bunny hops on a wakeskate then ollies. but for me its about the back foot pop. i try an push my tail as deep into the water as i can so that there will be more water trying to push my tail out and at the same time I'm jumping up then sliding my front foot up to help level and bring the tail up. same concept with the kickflip. but you slide your front foot off the toe side of the board. it is very similar to an ollie on a skateboard.

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10735 City: Jefferton

Who am I to argue.

scottyb · Posted: Apr 29, 2014 8:07 pm Post subject:

stack · Ollie Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 79

I think what ESnow said is the traditional way people have done it. Especially the ones that came from wakeboarding.
Whether it is now the correct way and the best looking way is something different.
Surely though by unweighting your back foot too push it down you are always going to cause more pressure on the front and create a little prepop?

fazzzzz · Faceplant Joined: 25 Apr 2014 Posts: 5

im sure im doing all of those. front foot about 2/3 of the way up the board and back foot way at the back, i sort of do a constant push(not a sudden push) on my front foot then as hard as i can on my back foot. do i need to push harder and faster on my front foot. and im not really getting high enough to get to the point where i need to move my front foot to level the board out Sad

fazzzzz · Faceplant Joined: 25 Apr 2014 Posts: 5

and ive watched and analysed numerous how to ollie on a wakeskate videos, but i havent seen any of a 'Bunny hop', whats the differnce, how do you do a bunny hop and which is easier?

BryceBell · Posted: May 01, 2014 10:16 am Post subject:

fazzzzz, you do not want to try and learn the 'bunny hop' way. You want to learn the proper way to do it, it will be worth it in the long run.

POPTART · 360 flip Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 7621

Just go out there and do them as much as possible, falling = trying

Find an old life jacket or milk jug or some buoy and start trying to pop over them.

It took me forever to get them down.

I still cant ollie very well..

GOLD!en · Backside 180 Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 505 City: Edwards

Please. Please. Please. DO NOT try to "pre pop." This is a terrible habit that people should fix and it looks HORRIFIC when people do it...

electricsnow · cassette Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 10735 City: Jefferton

Listen, i'm not saying lift your nose 6 inches and slam it down. A whole lot of riders have some element of rhythm when they're popping certain tricks. Ugly or not, daniel grant does it when he ollies up ben's gap at retention.

Frye · Guest Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 3335

Ollie Wars!!

Frye · Guest Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 3335

Marcus and I rode the other day, we decided that I bunny hop Neutral

POPTART · 360 flip Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 7621

is there a clear way to describe the downward inertia?

pre pop/ bunny hop/ preloading your tail

clearly multiple ways of loading the board for various lifts, for different purposes(tricks/moves/manuverings)

when you kickflip a skateboard don't you load the ollie tension differently than a frontside ollie?

a wake to wake/ insideout ollie and a flat ollie have differences in loading weight and edge release direction -right?

senza wake · Backside 180 Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 597 City: SLC

why all the hate on pre-pop? like esnow said, it doesn't have to be dramatic. we ride on water, and by that nature we don't ride flat. we are not level with the water the way a skateboard is parallel to the ground. so it seems perfectly sensible to flatten out the board just for an instant before snapping the Ollie. a "pre-pop" if you will.
for those of you that think it looks bad or shouldn't be done, please rewatch any of your favorite edits. current ones included. everyone does it. and just like POPTART said, it also varies from trick to trick. ive noticed I do not pre-pop when I do fs shuvs, but I do when I do 3 shuvs. not mentally, I just rewatched footage to see.
also there is the whole pulling in with your arms to create slack in the line for certain tricks. watch Beni Horan, he does it on many tricks but its hard to notice unless youre looking for it.

POPTART had the best suggestion. float something and try to ollie over it. that kind of forces you to. that's how I learned to switch ollie

wakemitch · Posted: May 02, 2014 4:05 pm Post subject:

When I think of prepop I think of when riders get their board completely off the water before they attempt an Ollie. I think it looks bad and is a bad habit.

I quickly put weight on my front foot before I snap off my back foot, but there is no bounce. It's all about forcing the tail deep in the water and jumping off your back foot as high as you can, letting your feet come up as high as possible, and flattening it out.

The biggest thing I notice when people are learning is that they pop, but then do not pick up their feet.
The board will come up as high as your feet will let it. If after you pop you only get your feet up 6 inches, that's as high as your Ollie will be. The board can't force you higher. The board wants to get up, but you have to let it come up. There is so much force under the board from the water pressure.
I learned that from Aaron Reed in The Book. Once I saw that, the concept made so much sense and now I feel like I have a pretty solid Ollie.

Another thing I notice with people learning is that they don't set up properly. The key is to edge out about 5-10 feet, flatten off for 1 second(have only your lead hand on the handle with your arm in half way), and then pop. If you pop on edge, you don't pop with the maximum surface area which would give you the most force. If you flatten off to long, you drift back in and then you are in edge again. Also, when you flatten off for 1 second you have the perfect line tension. The water should feel solid and you will get a crisp snap off the water. Waiting too long causes less tension and the water feels soft and is more difficult to pop off of.

PIRATE · Kickflip Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 2651

Ohhh my it's been to long since the legitimacy of a trick has been questioned...... Also based off prior discussion on "the rules" make sure you have fins.... Your rope is 75ft your going at least 23mph and you have a hipster driving while listening to death cab.... Forget about having fun.... And always compare yourself to others....