For those of you that flop your tongue or skip the top eyelets

[Larry54 243]

I tried flopping the tongue once and it just felt like I was going to get lace bite from flexing forward over the fold on the top row of laces. So I've always tucked the tongue under the shinpad and it's never felt like it prevented me from flexing forward. I mean it's a fairly flexible piece of felt for crying out loud... even with the stiff lace-bite insert, how can that impede forward flex?

I used to lace up to the top with my 752 Kevlar Tacks. When I got some RBK 5k's I started by skipping the top eyelet, but then lacing to the top after the skates broke in and softened a little. But now I've been skipping the top eyelet since I started wearing Flexlite18 and now Flexlite4.0. I think having Graf Sidas molded insoles contributes to stability, too.

[bwhinnen 1]

I don't skip, nor do I flop. It's all personal preference and feel. While I don't skip, my laces are not done up super tight either.

Thanks for the responses. I think that I need to strengthen my muscles down there. I can't do crossovers well if I don't have the skates ties tight up top (which I think is effectively making the skate act like a cast).

That will come with more practice and time spent doing the cross overs. It is a part of getting used to the feeling (especially on the offside, as everyone has a foot they are naturally more comfortable on) of doing the cross over and letting the ankle give slightly as well as getting used to and trusting in your edges enough to put your weight over them. To help out my skating coach had me do cross-rolls, not sure what you call them over there, constantly. This is going from outside edge to outside edge on opposite legs with each stride, so effectively you cross over each stride you take, but stay on the outside edge of the skate to draw either a 1/4, 1/3 or 1/2 circle depending on confidence level. I'll see if I can find a vid and edit this later.

[DigDug 5]

Thanks for the explanation. If you did have a video, that would be helpful. I'd like to practice the exercise!

I don't skip, nor do I flop. It's all personal preference and feel. While I don't skip, my laces are not done up super tight either.

That will come with more practice and time spent doing the cross overs. It is a part of getting used to the feeling (especially on the offside, as everyone has a foot they are naturally more comfortable on) of doing the cross over and letting the ankle give slightly as well as getting used to and trusting in your edges enough to put your weight over them. To help out my skating coach had me do cross-rolls, not sure what you call them over there, constantly. This is going from outside edge to outside edge on opposite legs with each stride, so effectively you cross over each stride you take, but stay on the outside edge of the skate to draw either a 1/4, 1/3 or 1/2 circle depending on confidence level. I'll see if I can find a vid and edit this later.

[bwhinnen 1]

This video is not bad at showing and describing from a Hockey stand point (his are very exaggerated and advanced:

And from a figure skating perspective (note the second set are where you can start, small and closer together):

Hope this helps.

[tareatingrat 4]

I flop my tongues, simply because I don't like the feel under the shin pads.

I don't skip an eyelet, either, even though I've got thick, quite powerful legs/ankles.

I actually tie the top few eyelets really tight. Just a preference. At my size and with my legs, I'm not worried about forward flex.

[osicks 6]

I used to skip the top eyelet and I've always flopped the tongue on my skates.

This is lame, but me skipping the top eyelet was more about getting better flop than the added mobility that came with it.

When I decided to quit fricken' around and enrolled myself in power skating, I laced them all the way up to the top and haven't looked back since. I feel like I have stronger strides and more confident edging with them laced all the way up.

One of the best skaters I know skips the top eyelet. Like someone else said, its all personal pref.

[Zylos45 118]

in my grafs - I go all the way up

in Bauer Nexus 800's - one eyelet down or it feels like I am fighting myself

my tongues stay and will always stay unflopped...don't need to be adding more chirps to my opponents "chirp list"

[MC6694 2]

I flopped and skipped 2 in my vapors and in my TO's don't flop and used to skip 2 but now only skip one. I feel like when I tie them all the way I am on my heels so I prefer to skip and tie whatever I use as the top eyelet loosely.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I've never tried skipping an eyelet before. Gave it a shot today after reading this thread. I really really liked it. After a couple shifts during pick-up I got used to it and could notice a huge difference. I plan on trying it for awhile and seeing how it works in the long term. Could definitely notice an increase in being able to get a better knee bend.