[swansjr]

What type of internals all depends on upon what style of trading ultimately appeals to you. Like you, Carter's TTM book really got me into futures trading. I started trading YM exclusively January 1, 2008. It's been a great ride. The setups in Carter's book are just starting points - they don't simply just work out-of-the box. I did manage to make the opening gap fade into a mildly profitable system but that was after much testing and refining of the parameters. Check out the TTM web site for free daily videos. You can get a lot of hints from that.

TTM Free Daily Videos

These are some steps that I started last fall before jumping into trading YM:

1. Do not trade live yet until you have developed a trading plan. Pick one or two setups, define your risk and define all possible entry and exit scenarios.

2. Trade your plan on a simulator until you are consistent where you do not deviate from your plan.

3. Get copy of Trading in the Zone and do the exercise in the book.

In the end, I became successful at trading only after discovering consistency, sticking to a plan and removing emotion from trading.

You don't need a fancy computer to start trading. I use tradestation 8.4 on a Mac mini with one 20-inch screen. My fees are $4.26 per contract for a round trip and a $10 monthly data feed fee for CBOT E-mini feed. Oh, TS also has a simulator.

[sdoma]

Originally Posted by brownsfan019 »

Yep. I understand how it works. Thanks. lol

I know, I was just elaborating for anyone who didn't know.

[Bam-Bam]

The highest payback trade you can make right now is to trade going live with gaining screen time.

The volatility is incredible right now. The daily VIX is pushing ever higher. And, the bar-by-bar volatility is getting larger and larger.

I've just come back to watching real-time data after doing other stuff for several months. What a difference a quarter makes! I'm just paper trading right now to get my execution back up to snuff. By the time I receive my entry confirmation (a couple of seconds), my first target is usually already hit and surpassed.

The speed of these moves are lightning fast. Unless you and your trading tools are tuned up and ready to instantly react, don't do yourself the disservice of putting your money on the table. In these conditions, you will not have the luxury of taking the few moments a beginner needs to check off in your head that all your entry requirements are met.

Enjoy the ride,

Bam-Bam