Appropriate lacing of skates?

[sdh 0]

if your laces are too tight you are just going to hurt your foot. you want your skate tight enough so that your foot isn't sliding around in the boot, but not so tight that you have no mobility. Think snug, not painful.

skates are designed to minimize lateral motion, while allowing forward motion. forward motion gives you agility and speed and some lateral motion is important for cornering. This is why you will see some skaters leave top eyelets unlaced (they have sufficient ankle strength and want to increase forward motion and lateral edge control).

[SB39 2]

Our coach told us that back in Czechoslavakia when he was growing up, they would tie their skates super tight down by their toes, somewhat looser through the forefoot then from the top of the foot to wherever you stop t9ight again.

[DigDug 5]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It's actually quite interesting to read on all the variations. I guess, like everything else, personal preference and style are as important.

I'm going to tie loosely by the toes and top, but wrench the ankle laces tight to lock my foot into the boot.

[sdh 0]

I didn't see your diagram before, but based on that I would say you are pulling the laces too tight in the mid section of the skate. Think of the skate as having 4 regions, toes, mid, ankle, top. It sounds like you are over tightening new skates, which is definitely going to cause pain. As the skates break in they stretch and you can tighten them more.