same as with the ollie, ya wanna have your back foot on the edge of the tail, kinda standin on the ball of your foot. then you gotta have your front foot just behind the front truck bolts, maybe a bit further forward than for the ollie.

okay, now you gotta crouch down a bit same as with the ollie - don't bother tryin to pop too high when you're just learnin, as huggy used to say "don't try to make the cow orgasm before you can even milk it" he always was kind of a weird guy. anyway, you gotta keep your weight a bit more forwards than for an ollie too.

start an ollie, but as you're scooping yer foot up the board, before the board is level, kick your front foot off the side of the nose so that it flips, that's the bit you gotta practice - you can tell you've got it right when that kick is makin the board flip and level out.

if the board flips upwards and doesn't level out, you aren't keeping your weight far enough forward, if the board is turning try leanin you gotta lean the opposite way to correct it

okay, now - after the board flips start bringing your front foot up and inwards. you basically 'catch' the board with your back foot and then just stick your front foot back on

the main thing to remember is that you're not ollying *then* flipping the board, you gotta flip it as you're on the way up. just like you don't read a guy his rights before you arrest him, you do it in the car on the way back to the precinct - it saves time - time you could be usin to kick the guy's ass in a 4x8 cell.

ugh it's late and this coffee tastes like shit. DENISE.....DENIIIISE GET ME MORE COFFEE NOW.

nollies huh? you didn't even learn those yet? okay well as long as you can ollie they're pretty easy. most people say you should learn switch ollies first but hell old starsky here knows best and I say nollies are easier than switch ollies.

okay, they're different from fakie ollies, fakie ollies you're still kinda facing backwards, but nollies you wanna be facing fully forwards. yeah so start rolling, only slow like you're cruisin for chicks on a thursday night or somethin. you know the drill - get your front foot set up on the nose, the toes should be pointing slightly forwards and the ball of your foot should be planted down right around the middle of the nose. back foot with the heel hanging off the edge of the board, just in front of the back truck bolts.

so she was 15 years old, is that really a crime??!?! in my day we'd give a guy a pat on the back, now they're arrestin me for this shit?

so then you crouch down a little, your front knee should be pointing at hmm, i guess about 45 degrees to the way the board's moving if you get what I mean. get your back foot ready to jump it back a bit. kick down with your front foot while lifting your back foot up. as soon as the nose hits the ground jump up with that too and right away you gotta be pulling your back foot up and backwards, so's it pulls the board into the air. kinda like scooping in an ollie, but it feels strange at first cos you gotta move the foot backwards.

you know how when you're doing an ollie there's that point where your back leg's fully straight? when the tail's on the ground and you're just about to go into the air? well that's the secret with nollies, getting that bit right. if you keep your leg straight for too long it all messes up. there's also this tendency to straighten out your back leg for some reason - keep your back leg bent at all times during a nollie. okay, so remember to pull your front leg up real quick after you've kicked down - don't jump it up before the nose hits the ground though or the whole trick'll mess up.

it kinda reminds me of this hostage stakeout thing me and the bas... me and hutch were in once. there was this real cute chick, i mean reaal cute. anyway, if we'd gone in before this guy was started eating he'd've blown her head off and then if we'd gone in after he'd finish he'd've done the same. so we got in there while he was just chewin his first bite and i kicked the bastard's ass. the chick was real grateful too, heh heh...

buyin your first board.

• deck(the wooden part of the board)
• wheels (this thing looked ugly with no brackets here)
• trucks (the metal things that attach the wheels to the deck)
• bearings (the metal things inside the wheels)
• gruptape (the sandpaper crap on top of the deck)
• bolts (the things that attach the trucks to the deck)

deck

Main Variables: Width, Concave.

7 3/4" is about the average board width. Wide boards are obviously a bit heavier, and you will need to put more effort in to flip them. It's easier to land tricks on a wide board, and they're harder to snap. Thin boards will flip more easily, but your feet will hang over the edges a bit more. If you're getting an extra-wide or an extra-thin board you should buy trucks to match this width.

The concave of the board is the amount that it dips towards the middle. The more concave the less pressure you have to exert to turn and the easier it will flip.

Other variables are length of board, length of nose and tail, shape and company. These don't really apply to this guide as they're more down to personal preference than anything else.

wheels

Main Variables: Size, Hardness

Big wheels allow you to ride over stones without flying off your board. Small wheels allow you to flip the board more easily. Big wheels are faster but heavier. 56mm is about the average wheel size right now.

They used to print how hard a wheel was on the side of it, but they don't do that any more. The only way to check is to bounce it, look at how clear it is and try and stick your fingernail into it. Basically the harder the better. Soft wheels wear down more quickly and don't allow you to slide properly.

They also make different widths of wheels. I can't see any advantage in going for wider wheels. Coloured wheels tend to wear down more quickly, something in the dye that affects the urethane.

trucks

Main Variables: Weight, Strength

Make sure you buy trucks the same width as your board. Don't go for cheap trucks - they usually crack or don't turn well (go for either Independent, Venture, Fury, Orion, Thunder or Krux). Trucks last a lot longer than boards so they're a bigger decision, but there's no real way to test them, it's just up to personal preference. If possible, try friends boards. Most people go for Ventures or Independents.

The rubbers (bushings) in the trucks affect how easy it is to turn. If you want tight trucks, go for hard rubbers. Don't buy soft rubbers and tighten them to hell, they'll split.

bearings

Main Variables: Abec, Shitness

There seems to be a new bearing company springing up every 6 months. I can't see any real advantage in one company over another. Personally I just go for the cheap ones. I tried a set of Pig Abec 5s and they haven't been as good as the £1 each ones I usually buy. The only real difference is the Abec value - Abec is a measure of manufacturing precision, the larger the number, the more precisely made the bearings are. Don't buy less than Abec 3.

griptape

Buy Black.

To apply: Peel off the first inch of the backing. Hold the griptape over the board and stick the sticky bit down on the nose then flatten the sheet out and make sure it's straight enough to cover the board (if not, peel up and start again). Peel off the rest of the backing and stick it down on the board going from one end to the other to minimise the bubbles. Then something metal and file at the edges of the board to mark out where they are. Take a sharp knife and slice through the griptape at the edges. File the edges to make sure they're smooth and won't peel up.

Don't buy that 'graphic griptape' crap because even the rollerbladers will want to kill you.

bolts

Main Variables: Alan or Philip

Go for the cheapest ones, it really doesn't matter. The only decision is philips head/allen key. I'd go for allen, it's much smaller to carry than a 'driver.

Don't keep the same bolts forever. If you leave them in too long the threads die and you'll never get them off without the help of Dad.