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Skate Skills For Beginners #2: Learn How to Ollie, Drop In, Rock Fakie & More

Skate Skills For Beginners #2: Learn How to Ollie, Drop In, Rock Fakie & More
Oct 2025 by Harry Stephens

In the second beginner's guide to skateboarding, we've got five more lessons from some of our favourite skaters to get you progressing on board.

How to Drop in on a Ramp

Dropping in is one of the first big milestones you'll hit on your skateboarding journey. So how do you do drop in? Start by standing on the coping (top of the ramp) with your back foot firmly on the tail and your front foot ready around the top bolts. Take a second, lean all your weight forward, and press your front foot down as firmly as you canto get the front wheels to hit the ramp solidly. Generally, hesitation or doubt is what causes most falls, as dropping in takes commitment. Keep your knees bent and your shoulders parallel with your board to stay balanced as you roll smoothly into the ramp, readying yourself for the change in transition from ramp to floor.

Learn How to Rock to Fakie

Rock to Fakie, or rock fakies, are a pretty daunting trick when you first start learning tricks, due to the fact that you will be rolling back into the ramp fakie, and the trick comes with the danger of hanging up your front truck on the coping. First, start by rolling up the ramp at a comfortable speed to get your front trucks up and over the coping. As your front trucks go past the coping, press your front truck and wheels slightly over it so your board rocks on the middle of the deck. This motion will then give you the momentum to lean your weight back toward the ramp and, as you do this, slightly lift your front wheels into a manual to roll back down fakie (backwards) and clear the coping with your front trucks. As soon as your front wheels are back in line with the ramp and under the coping, you can put them back in contact with the ramp. Keep your shoulders straight and ride back down the ramp.

How to Backside Slash on a Ramp

A backside slash grind is all about control. Approach the coping with enough speed to reach the top of the transition with your back truck (but not too much that you go up and over it). As you near the coping, turn your shoulders and hips backside (so your front is facing into the ramp) and shift your weight slightly toward your heels. Let your back truck scrape lightly across the coping as you're turning back into the ramp. It's essentially a backside kickturn, but you drag your back truck along the coping, so as you have completed your turn, ensure you go back to being square on your board, going straight back into the ramp.

How to Frontside Kickturn for Beginners

The frontside kickturn is one of the first turning tricks to master on a ramp, usually after a backside kickturn (but this is down to preference). Begin by rolling up a bank or transition and slightly lift your front wheels by pressing on the tail, whilst also opening up your shoulders so that you are facing the top of the ramp, and keep the momentum going round a full 180 degrees. Once your board has turned about 180 degrees (or just before), put your front wheels back down and head back down the ramp. The steeper the transition, the quicker you will have to complete the kickturn.

Learn How to Ollie Over Obstacles

Ollieing over obstacles is mainly about timing and your ability to pop. As you approach the object, bend your knees and prepare to pop your tail. Snap the tail down sharply while dragging your front foot up the board to level it out in mid-air. Focus on lifting both your board and knees high enough to clear the obstacle, then land with your knees bent to absorb the impact.

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