How to Frontside Ollie | Sidewalk Basics

ago Words by Sidewalk

Up your Frontside 180s by taking that technique to transition - in this video and step-by-step breakdown you'll find all the info you need for mastering smooth FS Ollies.

This is the same trick as the flatland frontside 180 ollie, but it’s in the advanced category because the transition element makes it a lot harder. The crucial difference between doing it on flat and on transition is that once you master the technique, the curve of the transition does a lot of the work for you – but learning it is pretty intimidating to begin with.

You will still need to pop and ollie as you would on flat, but if you time your pop and pump correctly, the incline of the ramp will throw you up into the air and cushion your landing as you re-enter.

This one is endless fun, so perfect your technique.

The more speed you have with this trick, the more the transition will help you out, so drop in and pump the opposing wall as hard as you can.

Your feet need to be in ollie position and you should be compressed as you approach the lip, as you would be for an ollie on flat.

Spot your take off point and begin to prepare to pop. Let the transition help you un-weight and visualise popping upwards and hovering over the transition.

Pop your tail as your front wheels are about to hit the coping. Scrape your front foot upwards as normal and let your shoulders begin to guide you frontside.

You need to concentrate on making the peak of your ollie as controlled as possible to avoid slamming on re-entry, so concentrate on being fluid. As you clear the coping, continue to control your ascent with your front foot and follow your shoulders frontside.

Stay centred and lean into the ollie a little. Keep your feet evenly over the trucks and your weight central.

Suck up your legs and keep your board level. This is the peak moment of your trick so hold it.

Keep level as you begin to descend and spot your landing. Use your front foot and your shoulders to aim you back into the transition. Concentrate on landing on the curve of the ramp not on the flat. Use your shoulders to control the last section of your frontside rotation and control your board’s re-entry with your feet.