How to tell if someone's self taught or has a coach without asking

[robot]

Disclaimer: I am not asking whether or not self teaching is a bad idea, only how to tell if someone's self taught or has a coach. Oftentimes on social media as well as on public's I'll look at someone's skating and think they are self taught based on the vibes, only to later see them working with a coach a few weeks down the road. In other words, what are common tells and mistakes that give self taught skaters away.

For example, are scratch spins only something someone with a coach can do? Since I have definitely thought someone was self taught due to their scratch spin a couple of times now only to later discover they had a coach.

 

[kinari]

Disclaimer: I am not asking whether or not self teaching is a bad idea, only how to tell if someone's self taught or has a coach. Oftentimes on social media as well as on public's I'll look at someone's skating and think they are self taught based on the vibes, only to later see them working with a coach a few weeks down the road. In other words, what are common tells and mistakes that give self taught skaters away.

For example, are scratch spins only something someone with a coach can do? Since I have definitely thought someone was self taught due to their scratch spin a couple of times now only to later discover they had a coach.

I feel like the quality of their skating can help tell if they've had a coach before or they are self taught. Also, the type of skates that they buy can help give it away---coaches would never suggest skates from Amazon or Dick's Sporting Goods (as I used to have when I was self taught...), but if they have a legitimate skate brand like Edeas, Jacksons, Riedells, etc. then that can probably mean that either they've done their research or they have a coach that helps them with it.

As for the quality of their skating---self-taught learners can learn skating skills up to a point, and they probably learned it incorrectly (such as going on the wrong edge for a jump). If you see a complete beginner attempting axels/doubles when they can barely skate backwards, then that's probably a sign that they are self-taught. Occasionally at a public session, I would see a few self-taught learners try one foot spins, two foot spins, etc. but I would hardly see scratch spins since on social media they look a lot harder than they actually are. It really depends on the skater and the types of moves they are learning (ex: mohawks, 3 turns, progressives (for dance))

 

[5Lz2die4]

I think a good sign that they are self taught is actually posture in their back and in their arms and hands. I notice on crossovers (both front and back) self taught skaters tend to have sloppier arm posture, and there hands are not extended gracefully, and same with their intro and exit into a waltz jump, if they lean their torso forward more, they usually haven't been taught about landing positions, and on that same note, they usually don't turn their foot out on a jump landing, because people only do that after training in figure skating/ballet. I think also, a good sign on social media, is that they seek approval from strangers on the internet, because if they asked a coach, the coach would disapprove.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I wouldn't always say that posture is a way to tell. There are plenty of coach taught skaters with horrible posture.