An Ollie is the first trick that most skateboarders learn, because it's a basic move for all kinds of other tricks.

It looks like the board is stuck to a skateboarder's feet in midair.

But here's what's really happening.

You start with your back foot on the tail of the board and your front foot just above the screws.

The downward force of your weight equals the upward force from the ground pushing on the wheels.

This keeps your feet on the board and the wheels on the ground.

Slam your back foot down hard on the tail of the skateboard.

The downward force of your foot on the back of the board makes the nose of the board flip upwards.

If the force is big enough, the upward motion of the board can actually overcome gravity and send the board into the air as you jump.

While you're in the air, drag the side of your front foot along the top of the skateboard.

This creates an additional force between your shoe and the board that pulls the board even higher into the air.

At the top of your jump, push down on your front foot to flatten out the skateboard underneath you.

Then, gravity takes over and pulls you back down to the ground for the landing.

The whole trick lasts about a third of a second.

And by the way, the world record for the highest Ollie is 45 inches-- about the height of a mailbox.