The Ollie is one of the first tricks most skaters try and learn. And, ironically, it can be one of the toughest.

A skater once posted in our skate forum (which has been attacked with spam, and I'll be cleaning out soon! Sorry for the mess guys!) that he was frustrated with how long it was taking him to learn to ollie. He had been trying for a week or two. And another skater, who's been helping out new skaters here for a while, confessed that it took him over a year to learn to ollie. Then another skater posted that he never did learn, and he's given up on it...

Don't give up! I know it can be frustrating when you see your buddy learn to ollie the first day he hops on a board ... but take your time! You'll get it. Ask for help, change things up, watch this video, and commit to it and the ollie should come to you. You can also share your story and read other peoples, "How did you learn to ollie?"

I'm curious though - how long did it take you to learn to ollie? Answer this poll:

Helmets are a strangely touchy, loaded topic in skateboarding! For some people, it's just a simple personal choice. But for other people, it's a crusade to get every skater to wear one, or a crusade to fight the authorities who are trying to force helmets on us all. See how it can get crazy so fast?

But the question still comes up, and I get a lot of e-mails about it - should skaters wear helmets? Now, I shy away from questions like that ... I don't like to tell people they should do one thing or another. But with helmets, I don't mind pushing a little. In my opinion, they are a good idea! Read the new skate FAQ "Do I Need to Wear a Skateboard Helmet?" for more info. It's got a couple of horror stories.

I've also got a new place for you to share your own stories for how helmets have saved your brain - read Readers Respond: How Has a Helmet Saved Your Life, or Close To It? Be the first to share your story, or check out what other people say!

And while we're on the topic, check out the Best Skateboard Helmets list!

Yatz Spray Wax is a handy little aerosol can that you can use to spray wax on. It's a brilliant idea, easy to use, and a huge improvement over blocks of wax.

It's a GREAT idea - you should check it out. This stuff works very well. Take a look at the Yatz Spray Wax Review for more info!

Skater2Beat is a new website where you can post a video of yourself showing off your skating skills, and try to win prizes. Each month the video with the most votes gets a smaller prize, and becomes the "Skater2Beat", and then at the end of the year the video with the most votes gets a huge prize. Sound easy?

They also want to help support skate shops, so they have a similar contest called "The Shop", where skate shops and their teams create a mini profile, and upload video to the Skater2Beat contest. The winning shop gets cash and a plasma TV for their shop.

Take a look at it and see what you think. The site is in development right now - it works just fine and you can enter to win, but they are adding to it over the summer.

So what's your impression? I think it looks like an interesting idea, but I'd be afraid that the same guy would win every month, or that people would fake footage! But on the other hand, if you have some sweet footage, this is a great way to get it seen, and to get something for it! What's your take? Leave a comment below!