Req 7c8 — Ollie, Nose-End Grab & Wheelie

These three maneuvers introduce basic freestyle technique on a moderate (blue square) slope. They are foundational moves — once you understand how the board flexes and responds to weight shifts, more advanced tricks build on the same principles.

Ollie

An ollie is the most basic snowboard jump — getting air off flat ground using only your own body movement, with no kicker or jump feature needed.

How to ollie:

1. Build a small amount of speed on the moderate slope.
2. Press your weight onto the tail — load it like a spring by bending your rear knee.
3. Spring off the tail — push down hard and snap upward, straightening your rear leg.
4. Simultaneously pull your front foot up toward your chest, bringing the nose up.
5. Level out the board at the peak.
6. Land with both feet at the same time, knees bent to absorb the impact.

The ollie is named after its skateboarding equivalent (invented by Alan “Ollie” Gelfand in 1978). It is the foundational skill for all aerial maneuvers.

Nose-End Grab

A grab means reaching down and touching the board with your hand while airborne. A nose-end grab (sometimes called a “nose grab”) means grabbing the nose (front tip) of the board.

How to do a nose-end grab:

1. Perform an ollie to get airborne.
2. At the peak of the jump, bring your front knee up toward your chest.
3. Reach your front hand toward the nose of the board and grab it.
4. Hold briefly, then release and extend before landing.
5. Land with knees bent.

Wheelie (Manual / Nose Press)

A wheelie (also called a “manual” or “nose wheelie”) means riding on only one end of the board — balanced on either the nose or tail — while the other end is lifted off the snow.

How to do a tail wheelie:

1. While moving on a moderate slope, shift your weight back over the tail of the board.
2. Press down on the tail and lift the nose slightly off the snow.
3. Hold the balance while the board rides on just the tail.
4. Shift weight forward to bring the nose back down smoothly.

Nose wheelie: The reverse — press the nose down and lift the tail. Requires shifting weight forward.

Official Resources