How Do You Ollie on a Tech Deck with Three Fingers?

Tips & tricks to get more and more air with a fingerboard ollie

Co-authored by Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: September 3, 2025 Fact Checked

Have you ever wanted to do an ollie on a Tech Deck or fingerboard, but didn't know how? Or are you someone who has to do tricks with 3 fingers (rather than 2)? With a little practice, you can pull off an ollie on a fingerboard with three fingers, no problem at all. Keep reading for the best tips and tricks on how to pop an ollie!

Quick Tips to Ollie on a Fingerboard

Put your index finger just behind the front screws, and put your middle finger on the tail so a small sliver of the back is visible. Smack your middle finger down hard while simultaneously lifting and sliding your index finger forward. Use your index finger to guide the board back down while still moving forward.

1

Put your index, middle, and ring fingers on the board.

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Put your index (pointer) finger right behind the front screws (or bolts). Place your middle finger right behind the Tech Deck logo so that just a sliver of grip tape is showing. Place your ring finger on the very back of the board.^{[1]
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2

Quickly smack your middle and ring fingers down.

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To get air out of your Tech Deck—otherwise known as the “pop” in the ollie—smack your middle and ring fingers against the deck as quickly and as hard as possible. If you’re struggling with the step, keep smacking your fingers against the Tech Deck until you nail down the right amount of pressure to exert on the board.^{[2]
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- Keep practicing and try to pop all four wheels off the ground—when your board pops up and falls straight back down on your middle finger, you’ve got the right movement.

3

At the same time, lift your index finger and slide it forward.

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When you smack your middle and ring fingers down against the ground and board, you need to simultaneously lift your index finger and slide it forward to level out the board.^{[3]
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Research source} Timing is everything in this trick, but it can be difficult to master! Your pop and slide need to happen at the exact same time.

4

Press your lifted fingers down to land the board.

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Once your Tech Deck is leveled out in the air, use your index finger to guide the board and bring it back down without losing momentum. This’ll happen almost immediately after your “pop,” and it should be a pretty natural movement, but you don’t want to lose your control over the board and just let it fall. Just guide the board down while still allowing it to move forward.^{[4]
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- Make sure not to bring your board down too quickly—then you won’t get any air!

5

Keep practicing until the movement feels natural.

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Continue to practice the ollie movement until it feels natural and almost like instinct or muscle memory. You also want to keep practicing until your board is coming off the ground every single time without fail. If you’re still having a hard time getting air, try rolling the board backwards a little before you pop. With this trick, you’ll be forced to pop harder, and it’ll be easier to ollie.^{[5]
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- However, the “roll back” can be a tough habit to break, so make sure to do it less and less as you get better at your ollies.

6

Test out your ollie with a pen or pencil.

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If you want to make sure that your ollie is actually, well, ollying, test it out by jumping over a pen or pencil. Lay the writing instrument on a surface, then see if you can ollie over it. If you’re not getting enough air to jump over a pencil, you likely need to keep practicing. If you are able to clear the pencil, keep testing yourself with slightly larger objects to see just how much you can jump!^{[6]
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- To ollie higher, move your index finger backward toward the Tech Deck logo and try to pop quicker and harder than before.

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Tips

If you still can't do an ollie but would like to get some air, build a ramp and jump over stuff with that! You could even build your very own fingerboard skate park.

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Once you’ve mastered the ollie, try to learn a kickflip or other air tricks!

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Use your tech deck in open areas without objects in the way at first. Classrooms can be risky since teachers may confiscate boards during lessons. A counter at home is a good practice spot.
Things like wheel shape and grip tape can impact maneuverability when learning tricks. Consider upgrades like wood boards, rubber bearings, and foam tape for best results.
If you're having trouble getting the board off the ground, make sure to really snap the tail down to pop it upward. Use a pencil to visualize clearing an obstacle.
For the most realistic experience, learn tricks with 2 fingers to mimic a skateboarder's feet. Once you master basics like ollies this way, you can try 3 fingers.
Don't stress too much while learning. Ollies take practice. Find a soft surface at first, then move to harder surfaces once you get comfortable with the motion.
Take it slow as a beginner fingerboarder. Master ollies first before moving onto kickflips and other tricks. Walk before you run!

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Warnings

After a while of using your fingerboard, the bolts could become loose. As soon as it gets wobbly, you must use your tool to tighten it. If you lost it, twist it tighter with your finger or use a bobby pin.

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Don't slam your board too hard to the ground. It could break in half!

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