Here are a few alternatives for lacing your shoes to alleviate some common issues.
Black toe nails
From the opposite side of your big toe lace from the top eye let all the way down to the eyelet closest to the big toe in a diagonal. At the top leave enough lace to tie your shoelaces together.
Now with the long end of the lace lace the rest of the shoe in a zig zag pattern, as per normal. This lacing should keep the material away from your big toe to stop the toe jamming into the front of the shoe, and therefore preventing black toe nails.
Wide forefoot
Start by getting the shoe set up for lacing as usual, at the bottom.
Now with each side go up the side to the first eyelet and through to the second and third making sure the lace does not cross the tongue of the shoe.
From the third eyelet, lace the shoes as normal until you reach the top of the shoe. This will give your forefoot some room to breathe.
High arches
Start lacing the shoes as normal until you reach the second eyelet. Then take the lace straight up the side to the third and fourth eyelet, (see the process for a wide forefoot). The lacing can then continue as per normal, to the top.
Shoes that are too tight
Start by lacing the bottom eyelets with the laces going down into the shoe. Take the lace closet to the big toe and come up into the second eyelet and then straight across into the second eyelet on the opposite side going down into it.
With the other lace bring that up through the third eyelet on the same side and take it straight over down into the third eyelet on the opposite side.
Repeat this pattern for the whole shoe until you reach the top. Make sure every time you go down into the shoes and you also skip an eyelet before coming back up.
Use these on your trainers or your rugby boots, or any other laced shoes if you suffer with any of the above issues. Happy training!