Table of Contents
Ali Crooks sits down for a straight-talking interview about how he actually trades—why he moved from fast-twitch day trading to calmer swing trading, how he built Trader Support Club, and what changed once he launched an FCA-regulated fund and started managing other people’s money. If you’re a newer trader, this convo matters because Ali keeps it practical: clear risk limits, repeatable entries, and a focus on process instead of chasing monthly P&L.
In this piece, you’ll learn Ali Crooks’ core swing-trading approach—top-down levels, simple moving-average “bands” for timing, staged entries, fixed 1% risk, and a clean 3:1 target philosophy—plus the mindset shifts that keep him consistent. You’ll see how he uses data to guide decisions (not emotions), why “trade the process” is his north star, and how mentorship and journaling around money beliefs reinforce discipline when the win/loss streaks bite.
Ali Crooks Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Philosophy: Process First, Profits Follow
Ali Crooks keeps the game simple: define an edge, size the risk, then rinse and repeat without drama. The goal is consistency, not fireworks—he treats trading like a professional routine where process quality produces the P&L over time.
- Trade only when a written edge is present; if any rule is missing, skip the trade.
- Use a fixed playbook of setups; no “one-off” ideas allowed.
- Pre-define entry, stop, target, and management before clicking buy/sell.
- Accept variance: judge yourself by rule-following, not the last outcome.
- Daily mantra: “My job is to execute rules, not predict.”
Market Selection & Top-Down Bias
Ali starts at the higher timeframes to avoid tunnel vision. He builds a directional bias first, then hunts clean, liquid markets that respect levels and offer room to run.
- Make a weekly map on the higher TFs (W, D, H4): trend, key levels, and volatility regime.
- Trade only instruments with tight spreads, reliable fills, and consistent structure.
- If weekly and daily trends conflict, reduce risk or stand aside until alignment returns.
- Only trade long in uptrends and short in downtrends; no countertrend unless rule-based.
- If ATR contracts sharply, expect fewer A-setups and cut frequency, not standards.
Set Up Construction: The “Bands + Levels” Timing
He times entries where structure and timing meet: higher-TF levels combined with moving-average “bands” that act as dynamic value zones. This keeps entries mechanical and avoids chasing candles.
- Draw HTF levels (weekly/daily S/R, swing highs/lows, break-and-retest zones).
- Add a simple MA channel (e.g., midline with outer bands) to define pullback value.
- Longs: wait for price to pull into the buy zone near support + band + bullish trigger.
- Shorts: mirror logic at resistance with band confluence + bearish trigger.
- Trigger must be objective (e.g., engulf, inside-bar break, or defined momentum shift)—no gut calls.
- If the price runs without a pullback to value, let it go.
Entry Triggers & Staging In
Ali favors staged entries to smooth timing risk. One precise trigger is good; two staggered entries with the same total risk can be better when volatility is jumpy.
- Risk is defined across the whole idea; split entries 60/40 or 50/50, not extra risk.
- Enter only after a valid trigger forms at the planned location—never “anticipate.”
- If the first scale fills and the second doesn’t, do not force; the market didn’t offer it.
- Cancel the setup if the structure breaks (e.g., level violation or opposite momentum).
Risk Management: Fixed % and Hard Floors
This is where Ali gets strict. He caps account risk per idea and per day/week to ensure survival and keep his head clear.
- Risk per trade: 0.5–1.0% of equity (pick one and stick to it).
- Max open risk across all positions: 2% (tighten in choppy regimes).
- Daily loss limit: 1.5–2R; weekly loss limit: 4–5R; hit the limit → stop trading and review.
- Stops go beyond structure (not “random pips”): below/above the invalidation level.
- Never widen a stop; if it’s wrong, take the L and log why.
Position Sizing: ATR-Aware and Structure-Based
Sizing ties to the stop distance, which ties to the structure and ATR. This keeps each idea equal in risk regardless of volatility.
- Position size = (Account Risk% %) ÷ (Stop Distance in price units).
- Use ATR(14) on the entry TF to sanity-check stop size; if stop < 0.5×ATR, expect noise.
- Reduce size 25–50% ahead of known high-impact events if you plan to hold through them.
- If spread or slippage widens, assume the worst-case and recalculate the size before entry.
Exits & Targets: Rule the Middle, Not the Extremes
Ali aims for clean asymmetric payoffs while acknowledging markets are messy. He mixes partials with rule-based trailing to lock progress without neutering R-multiple potential.
- Base target: 2–3R; scale 50% at 2R, trail the remainder behind structure/MA midline.
- Move stop to breakeven only after a clear market win (e.g., close beyond level + 1R).
- If momentum stalls at the HTF level, take another partial; let the last runner seek extension.
- Exit on invalidation: opposite signal, structure failure, or volatility spike against bias.
Trade Management: Reduce Decisions Mid-Trade
The fewer choices mid-trade, the better your execution. Ali pre-scripts reactions to common scenarios so emotions don’t improvise.
- Before entry, write “If X then Y” for: quick spike, news wick, grind, fake-out, and gap.
- If price tags partials quickly, lock some gains and revert to the trail—no heroics.
- If price chops for N bars without progress (define N), scratch or half-scratch by rule.
Playbook Filters: Only A-Setups Make the Cut
Filters protect you from boring trades. Ali applies a small set of quality gates so only the cleanest setups survive.
- Trend alignment: weekly and daily must agree or at least not conflict.
- Location: entry occurs at pre-marked HTF level or clean value zone.
- Space: at least 1.5× target distance before the next major level.
- Volatility: ATR within your playbook’s normal band; if extreme, halve risk or pass.
- Clarity: no overlapping news events within your trade’s expected hold window.
Weekly Planning: From Map to Menu
He treats the weekend like a pro: map first, then write a “menu” of potential trades for the coming days. Planning reduces impulsive scanning and keeps execution tight.
- Build a one-page weekly map: bias, key levels, high-impact events, A-setups to watch.
- Pre-write 3–5 “if-then” play calls per instrument (setup, trigger, stop, target, notes).
- Set daily alerts at levels; do not stare at screens waiting for candles.
- Midweek, prune the menu—remove instruments that turned messy.
Journaling & Review: Data Over Drama
Ali’s edge compounds through review. He journals mechanics, not emotions, then mines the data for simple improvements.
- Journal every trade: screenshot entry/exit, rule tags, R-multiple, and a one-line reason.
- Tag mistakes separately (rule breaks, early exits, late entries); calculate “error tax” in R.
- Run a monthly audit: win rate, avg R, expectancy, error rate; fix the biggest leak first.
- Promote setups with positive expectancy; demote or retire the laggards.
Psychology: Make Discipline Easier Than Distraction
He designs the environment so the right action is the easy action. That means pre-commitments, fewer decisions, and simple rules that survive stress.
- Fixed session windows; outside those, the platform is closed.
- Visual checklists beside the screen; no checklist, no trade.
- Use tiny rituals (breathing, stand-up, checklist) before any order is placed.
- When a loss streak hits your weekly cap, stop immediately and switch to review mode.
News & Event Handling: Risk Around Uncertainty
Ali respects catalysts. He either stands aside or pre-plans risk and position structure around events so surprises don’t blow the account.
- If an event can void your setup (rate decisions, CPI, payrolls), trade post-event unless the playbook includes a specific event strategy.
- If holding through, cut the size in half and widen the stop only if the invalidation level requires it—never to “avoid being stopped.”
- No new trades within N minutes of the release (define N per instrument and your stats).
Scaling the Approach: Personal Account to External Capital
The same rules work when size grows—what changes is the tolerance for risk of ruin and slippage. Ali treats other people’s money with even tighter guardrails.
- Lower per-trade risk to the bottom of your range (e.g., 0.5%) as size increases.
- Add a stricter weekly drawdown stop (e.g., 3–4R) and a monthly circuit breaker.
- Prioritize instruments with deeper liquidity and better execution quality.
- Expand only the setups with the strongest, longest-running stats.
Execution Checklist: One Page to Rule the Day
Lastly, he compresses everything into a page he can follow under pressure. The checklist prevents “creative” decisions mid-session.
- Bias confirmed on weekly/daily; ATR within norms; news window clear?
- Level and value zone aligned? Trigger present? Space to target ≥ 2R?
- Risk calculated, order ticket pre-filled, stop at structure, alerts set?
- Post-entry: partial plan active, trail logic chosen, exit conditions defined?
- After exit: journal screenshots, tag outcome, and any errors, update stats.
Fix Your Risk: One Percent Per Idea, No Exceptions
Ali Crooks treats risk like oxygen—non-negotiable and measured. He caps exposure at a flat 1% per trade, so one bad idea can’t sabotage the week, let alone the account. That fixed cap forces him to place stops at real invalidation points instead of random round numbers. It also standardizes position size so every trade has equal influence regardless of market noise. The result is a smoother equity curve that reflects skill, not luck.
Crooks also builds daily and weekly loss limits around that 1% rule to prevent tilt. If the plan says stop for the day after a defined drawdown, he stops, reviews, and returns only when his process is reset. He doesn’t widen stops, “average down,” or chase to make back losses—because the 1% rule works only if it’s never bent. With risk tamed, Ali Crooks can focus on execution quality and let probabilities do the heavy lifting.
Trade the Process, Not the P&L: Discipline Beats Prediction
Ali Crooks builds every session around a checklist, not a hunch. He sets bias, levels, trigger types, and risk before the market opens, then executes only if the boxes are ticked. By judging success on “did I follow my rules?” instead of “did I make money today?”, he keeps emotions from rewriting the plan mid-trade. That mindset lets him treat losses as variance, not verdicts on his ability.
When the chart heats up, Ali Crooks slows down—he re-reads the setup card, confirms entry, stop, and management, and only then clicks. If a condition is missing, he simply passes and waits for the next clean look. He never upgrades a B-setup to an A-setup because the candle looks exciting. The process is the edge; prediction is just noise.
Use Volatility To Size Stops And Targets Without Guesswork
Ali Crooks lets volatility set the distance, not his mood. He checks the recent ATR to gauge normal swing size, then places stops beyond true invalidation so ordinary noise can’t tag him out. Targets scale with the same logic—if the market is moving 2× faster, he expects more room; if it’s quiet, he tightens expectations. This keeps his R-multiples realistic and his win rate less sensitive to random chop.
When conditions change, Ali Crooks adjusts, not hopes. If ATR compresses, he trades fewer ideas with tighter stops and smaller targets, keeping the payoff profile intact. If ATR expands, he widens stops, reduces the size to keep risk constant, and lets runners breathe. The rule is simple: volatility dictates structure, structure dictates size, and size protects the account.
Diversify By Instrument, Setup, And Holding Time To Smooth Equity
Ali Crooks spreads his bets so no single market mood can wreck the week. He mixes a few core instruments with different personalities—majors for consistency, indices for momentum bursts, and a handpicked wild card only when conditions favor it. He also diversifies by setup: trend continuation from value, break-and-retest at structure, and the occasional mean-reversion when his stats support it. By rotating through these lanes, he avoids overtrading the same look when it’s out of season.
Time matters too, and Ali Crooks staggers holding periods to flatten the ride. Some trades are quick tactical plays targeting 2R in a session or two; others are swing holds that trail behind daily structure for 3R+. This blend reduces correlation between outcomes and stops him from forcing action when one timeframe dries up. The net effect is a steadier equity line driven by many small, independent edges instead of one brittle, all-or-nothing bet.
Define Your Edge: Rules, Triggers, Management Before You Enter
Ali Crooks insists your edge exists on paper before it exists in the market. He defines the setup with exact rules: context, location, trigger, stop, and target. If any piece is missing, the trade is disqualified—no improvisation. This pre-commitment removes gray areas that emotions love to exploit.
For triggers, Ali Crooks favors simple, testable patterns confirmed at value, then sizes by risk and places the stop at structural invalidation. Management is scripted: partials at 2R, trail behind structure, and exit on rule-based failure—not because a candle looks scary. He logs each trade with tags for rule quality, so he can promote high-expectancy rules and retire weak ones. By defining rules, triggers, and management upfront, he turns each trade into a repeatable process instead of a prediction contest.
Ali Crooks keeps the whole game grounded in repeatable rules: fixed risk (around 1% per idea), structure-based stops, and ATR-aware sizing that adapts to changing volatility. He builds a top-down bias first, then takes only those setups that align with higher-timeframe levels and his “value zone” timing—never chasing, never guessing. The edge lives on paper before it lives in the market: context, location, trigger, stop, target, and management are all defined in advance, so execution is just following a checklist, not negotiating with emotions.
He smooths the equity curve by diversifying across instrument types, setup archetypes, and holding times, and by staging entries to reduce timing risk when conditions are jumpy. Daily and weekly loss limits keep the account safe and the mind clear, with hard “stop trading” rules that force review instead of revenge trades. Journaling is non-negotiable: every trade is tagged for rule quality and mistakes, so he can quantify the “error tax,” promote high-expectancy behaviors, and retire weak ones. And as size grows, Ali tightens the guardrails—lower per-trade risk, stricter drawdown stops, and a narrower focus on the most liquid, most proven plays. In short, Ali Crooks shows that consistent results come from a simple loop: plan with data, execute the plan, and let the stats—not the emotions—decide what stays in the playbook.
