nollie

A nollie, short for nose ollie, is a skateboarding trick in which the rider rises into the air by popping the board from the nose with the front foot while the back foot helps lift and guide the board. It is the front-edge counterpart to the standard ollie and is a staple in street skating, used to approach obstacles from the nose end of the board. The trick originated as skaters experimented with variations of the ollie and gained popularity in the late 1980s through the 1990s.

Technique involves a coordinated stance and timing. The rider places the front foot around the nose and keeps the back foot on the tail, with a balanced, slightly forward-leaning posture. The knees compress, then the front foot pops the nose upward while the back foot pushes to lift and level the board. The board rises below the rider, aiming to stay flat in midair so it can be caught by both feet upon landing. A clean nollie requires precise timing to avoid the board slipping off the front, catching the edges, or spinning out on the landing. Proper commitment and knee absorption are important for a smooth return to the ground.

Variations of the nollie include the nollie kickflip, nollie heelflip, and nollie shove-it, where the board flips or spins in conjunction with the nose pop. The trick can be combined into more complex sequences with other ollie-based moves, such as nollie grinds or nollie flips into grants or ledges, depending on the skater’s style and setup.