Nollies: The Weird Trick That Changes Everything
Ever feel like your board just doesn’t want to leave the ground when you try a nollie?
You’re not alone. Nollies are one of those weird tricks that feel completely unnatural at first — you’re popping with the nose, using your “wrong” foot to do the heavy lifting, and basically flipping your entire muscle memory upside down.
In this post, we’re breaking down exactly why nollies are worth learning, how to land them clean.
Why Nollies Matter (Even if You Feel Like You Don’t Need Them)
Look — you could technically live your whole skate life without learning nollies. But if you’re here reading this, you’re not about just getting by. You want full board control. You want flow. You want options.
Nollies give you:
- Full control over both ends of your board — you’re no longer relying on just your tail.
- New tricks unlocked — nollie flips, nollie shuvs, nollie heels, nollie 180s... they all start here.
- Extra steeze in your lines — nothing looks smoother than mixing regular, switch, and nollie tricks together.
- Stronger board awareness — you’re training both feet to control the board independently.
How to Nollie (Step-By-Step)
Alright — let’s break this down in simple steps so you can hit the park or driveway and start getting comfortable with it.
Step-by-Step:
1. Foot Placement:
- Front foot: Right up on the nose, toes slightly angled toward the bolts. This is your popping foot now.
- Back foot: Just behind the front bolts — this foot is doing the slide-up, like your front foot would on a regular ollie.
2. Approach:
- Roll forward at a steady, comfortable pace.
- Keep your weight slightly leaned back over your back foot. This will help you pop the nollie correctly.
3. The Pop:
- Snap the nose down at a forward angle with your front foot (not straight down) — think of it like a quick jab, not a slow press.
4. The Level-Out:
- As the board pops, your back foot slides up the griptape, push your back foot out behind you as you lift your front foot up, this levels out the board.
5. The Catch and Landing:
- Stay over the board, keep your shoulders square.
- Land flat with your knees slightly bent to absorb the landing.
The Mental Shift That Helps
The biggest mistake most skaters make is treating nollies like ollies — but they’re not quite the same.
Ollie = popping behind the momentum.
Nollie = popping in front of the momentum.
When you focus on popping the nose down at a forward angle, the board naturally snaps up and gives you that pop you’re chasing. It’s a small mental shift, but it changes everything.
Common Nollie Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
1. “It barely leaves the ground.”
Fix: You’re probably not snapping the nose hard enough. Practice popping the nose down at a forward angle — you want that sharp, quick snap.
2. “The board kicks out behind me.”
Fix: You’re leaning too far forward. Stay balanced over the board, leaning just a touch toward your back foot.
3. “The board isn’t leveling out.”
Fix: Focus on bringing your front foot up while straightening your back foot out.
Progression Path: Building Up Your Nollies
Here’s how to build confidence and level up:
- Practice stationary first. Just focus on the motion.
- Start rolling slowly. Don’t rush the speed — get comfortable first.
- Add a little more pop each time.
- Start adding nollies into your lines. Roll up, nollie, roll away.
- Once you’re comfortable, start adding simple nollie shuvs or 180s.
Why Nollies Are Fun for All Ages
- Developing full board control early
- Learning to trust both feet
- Opening doors for tons of trick variations
- Less impact than stair sets
- Feels like a real accomplishment without risking big slams
- Adds variety to your sessions
Your Nollie Challenge This Week
You know the deal — we like to keep it fun:
👉 Try landing 5 rolling nollies this week.
Doesn’t have to be high. Doesn’t have to be clean. Just remember to pop at a forward angle.
Film one and tag us: @skate_like_butr
We want to see your progress, your first sketchy ones, your celebrations — all of it.
Final Thoughts
Nollies feel weird at first — that’s part of the fun. But once you get them, they open up an entirely new side of your skating. More control. More variety. More confidence.
Thanks for reading, skate fam — let’s roll.