How to Make a Pole Jam

A lot of skateboarders have been using pole jams off which to do simple tricks since the 1990s. A pole jam is any metal pipe at an angle running from ground level to a few feet in the air. To use a pole jam, a skateboarder ollies -- when both skateboard and rider go into the air due to the skateboarder pushing off of the ground with the end of the skateboard, jumping and causing the board to go into the air as well -- and then grinds up the pole jam to get a bit more air.

Things You'll Need

  • Metal pipe 3 inches in diameter and 5 to 6 feet long
  • Shovel
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Take your metal pole and find a place to put it in the ground. In order to use it to do tricks off of on concrete, you will want to place it in the ground right next to some concrete. A great place would be at the corner of a 90-degree angle of sidewalk, with concrete on three sides of the angle.

    • 2

      Dig into the ground at the 90-degree angle of sidewalk and dig a hole, down at least two to three feet. Take your pipe and stick it down at an angle in the hole you have created. Make sure it's an angle of about 45 degrees to the ground.

    • 3

      Fill in the dirt around your pipe to make it secure and rigid in place. You now have a pole jam on which to grind and off of which to do tricks. When you are done using it, dig out your pole and take it with you.