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In this YouTube interview, veteran futures and equities trader Brad Jelinek sits down to talk shop—mindset, execution, and longevity. With ~20 years in the game and host of the Trading Life podcast, Brad explains why adaptability beats rigid rules, how manic markets can both reward and punish, and why “observe the market like an alien” is more than a witty line—it’s a survival skill for retail traders learning their edge.
In this piece, you’ll learn Brad Jelinek’s practical playbook: leaning into event-driven day trading when volatility spikes, shifting to swing trades when trends grind, spotting “stuck” participants to fuel asymmetric moves, and using simple tools like a throwaway journal and an “active pause” to reset during drawdowns. We’ll also cover the psychology behind sustainable performance—coaching, lifestyle design, and knowing when hard work helps versus harms—so you can apply his trader strategy to your own process without the costly detours.
Brad Jelinek Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Philosophy: Adaptability over Prediction
Brad focuses on reading what the market is doing right now and choosing the tactic that fits the tape. He treats each session like a new puzzle, looking for who’s trapped, where the flows are leaning, and which levels actually matter today. The goal is to adapt quickly, press when the wind is at your back, and downshift when conditions get choppy.
- Trade what’s moving: if the average 1-min range drops, switch from breakout tactics to mean-reversion; if it expands, switch back.
- Define today’s regime by 30 minutes after the open: trending, rotational, or headline-driven; pick the matching playbook.
- If price action contradicts your bias for 3 consecutive signals, abandon the thesis and stand down for 30 minutes.
- Keep a “neutral first” mindset: no positions for the first 5 minutes unless a pre-planned news catalyst triggers.
Markets & Session Selection
He’s primarily a futures trader (e.g., ES, NQ, CL, GC), but the real edge is timing: which product is offering clean structure during this session. He favors liquid markets around known catalysts (U.S. equities open, crude inventory prints, rate decisions) and scales down during dead zones.
- Build a daily “A/B/C” product list pre-open; only trade A-list unless volatility drops below plan.
- U.S. cash open: prioritize ES/NQ; European close: look for CL rotations; gold around macro prints.
- If depth thins and slippage increases, cut size by 50% or switch to a thicker product.
- No new trades within 90 seconds of a scheduled top-tier release unless it’s a specific catalyst setup.
The Event-Driven Intraday Play
This is the bread-and-butter when news or scheduled data rips open new ranges. Brad looks for the first pullback after a displacement move, then rides the trapped side’s liquidation. Speed and structure matter more than indicators.
- Pre-define your levels: previous day’s high/low, overnight high/low, and first 5-minute impulse extremes.
- Wait for an impulse > 1.5× the 5-minute ATR, then enter on the first shallow pullback that holds above/below the impulse 50%.
- Place the initial stop just beyond the opposing side of the impulse wick; reduce the size if the wick is unusually wide.
- Scale 1/3 at 1R, 1/3 at prior high/low (or VWAP), trail final 1/3 behind last 1-minute swing.
- Invalidate if the catalyst move retraces > 61.8% in under 10 minutes—stand down for the session.
The Trend-Pullback Swing
When the tape is grinding and not popping, he swings with the dominant 4-hour/60-minute trend. Entries are simple: pullback to a reference (VWAP, prior day’s value area edge) and continuation.
- Identify trend: higher highs/higher lows on 60-minute with rising 20/50 EMAs or a clear channel.
- Enter on the first bullish/bearish 5-minute reversal after a pullback to VWAP/value edge aligned with the higher-timeframe trend.
- Hard stop goes beyond the pullback swing; move to breakeven at +0.75R; add only once, at the next higher-low/lower-high.
- Exit plan: partial at 1R, runner to channel extreme or measured move of the prior impulse.
- No new swing entries on Fridays after 1:30 p.m. ET or ahead of major weekend risk.
The Failed-Break Reversal
Brad hunts spots where traders are caught leaning the wrong way—classic fake break and snap back. Location is key: prior day extremes, weekly levels, or obvious trendline breaks.
- Mark “pain points”: prior day high/low, weekly open, round numbers, visible trendlines.
- Wait for a breakout that extends at least 0.25× ADR beyond the level and then closes back inside on 1–5 minute bars.
- Enter against the failed break once the retest stalls; stop goes 1 tick beyond the extreme.
- First target is the opposite side of the failed bar; second target is VWAP or the day’s midpoint.
- Invalidate if the price re-breaks the level with more volume than the first attempt.
Risk, Sizing, and Heat
Survival first. Brad caps daily damage, adjusts size to volatility, and tracks “heat”—the max unrealized draw he’s willing to tolerate. He wants consistent risk units, not hero trades.
- Max daily loss = average green day × 1.25; hit it, you’re done for the day.
- Per-trade risk: 0.25–0.5% when conditions are A+; 0.1–0.25% for B setups; 0 for C.
- If the spread widens or slippage > 0.3R on two fills, halve the size for the next three trades.
- Limit total “heat” on the book to 1.5× daily risk across all open positions.
- Two losers in the same setup type = mandatory 20-minute timeout and re-read of the session profile.
Execution Mechanics
He keeps charts simple and lets the tape confirm. Entries are placed where the other side’s pain begins, exits are systematic, and he avoids late-to-the-party chases.
- Use stop-limit entries 1–2 ticks beyond trigger to avoid worst spikes; cancel if unfilled after 30 seconds.
- Never move a stop farther away; only move stops to breakeven or trail as per plan.
- If the trade stalls for 10 consecutive 1-minute bars without making +0.5R, scratch it.
- One add per idea, only after the market proves you right (higher-low/lower-high with volume).
- Avoid entering on the third push of a micro move—probabilities drop and reversals increase.
Levels, Tools, and Minimalism
Brad prefers a clean chart: price, volume, VWAP, and a couple of moving averages for structure. More tools mean more noise; the edge is in reading behavior around levels.
- Daily prep: mark prior day high/low, overnight high/low, weekly open, VWAP bands, and two obvious swing levels.
- Keep indicators to VWAP + 20/50 EMA on execution timeframe; remove it if it conflicts with price action.
- Tape tells: look for speed changes, absorption at levels, and failed follow-through after a big candle.
- Avoid multi-indicator confirmation—price and context beat indicator stacks.
Catalyst Playbook & Calendar
He organizes the week around events that consistently move his markets. The plan is simple: know the times, know the products, and know the exact setups to deploy when volatility spikes.
- Pre-tag events: rates, jobs, CPI/PPI, crude inventories, PMI/ISM, FOMC minutes, major earnings for index heavyweights.
- Trade only the first clean impulse-pullback or the second pass; skip the third pass on the same level.
- If a catalyst produces a fake break (extension + snapback), switch immediately to the failed-break play.
- Post-event, stop trading if the market compresses back inside the pre-event range for 30 minutes.
Journaling & Review That Actually Changes Behavior
He keeps review lightweight but relentless—short notes that capture context, emotion, and what he’ll do differently next time. The point isn’t pretty screenshots; it’s faster learning loops.
- After each trade: write two sentences—why you entered, what you’ll do differently next time.
- End of day: tag each trade A/B/C quality and note regime (trend/rotation/event).
- Weekly: export P&L by setup; kill or refactor the bottom 20% setups for the next week.
- Keep a “pattern library” of 10–15 playbook examples with entry, stop, targets, and typical failure modes.
Psychology & Energy Management
Performance is state-dependent. Brad treats energy, focus, and mood like risk variables—managed on purpose, not by accident. He uses brief resets to avoid tilt and lets size follow clarity.
- Start size at 50% until you log one clean A-trade; then allow full size.
- When you feel rush/tilt, engage a 3-minute “active pause”: stand up, breathe, re-label the regime, and re-read levels.
- If you revenge-trade once, take a mandatory walk and reduce size by 75% for the next hour.
- Sleep > 7 hours the night before to allow A-setups; if not, cap daily risk at 50%.
Scaling the Edge
When things line up—product, regime, and setup quality—he steps on the gas responsibly. Scaling is earned by proof, not hope.
- Size up only after two consecutive green sessions in the same regime and setup.
- Increase risk per trade by one notch (e.g., 0.25% → 0.35%) but keep the daily loss cap constant for a week.
- Add contracts only where risk doesn’t expand: after a higher-low/lower-high and with stop now at breakeven.
- If the equity curve dips below the 20-day average, revert to base risk until it recovers.
Templates You Can Copy Today
Brad standardizes decisions so game day is easy. Here are plug-and-play templates to remove hesitation and keep your process tight.
- Pre-market: mark five levels, pick the top two products, write your regime guess in one line, and pre-commit to two setups.
- Intraday: first trade must be from the playbook; no ad-hoc ideas before 10:15 a.m. ET.
- Post-trade: log R, regime, setup tag, and one improvement; screenshot only if it becomes a playbook example.
- End-day: if net R < −1.25, no afternoon session; if > +2R, no “victory lap” trades—protect the day.
Size Risk Like a Pro: Scale With Volatility, Not Ego
Brad Jelinek treats position size as a moving target that follows volatility, not feelings. When ranges expand, he reduces unit size so each trade risks the same R; when ranges compress, he can increase size without increasing dollar risk. The point is consistency: a clean setup in a wild market shouldn’t secretly multiply your downside just because the stop is wider. Brad builds this into the plan before the open, so the first trade of the day already respects the tape’s current speed.
He also locks in guardrails that protect the account when the tape turns messy. A fixed daily loss cap ends the session automatically, and “heat” limits prevent stacking overlapping risk across symbols and timeframes. Scaling up is earned by proof—two solid sessions in the same regime—then nudged, not doubled. By sizing with volatility and enforcing these brakes, Brad Jelinek keeps the edge and psychology aligned, making the next trade just another planned bet, not a rescue mission.
Pick the Right Play: Event-Driven Intraday or Trend-Pullback Swing
Brad Jelinek starts by labeling the day: is it an event day with fresh catalysts or a grind where trends extend? If news rips open range, he shifts to the event-driven intraday play—wait for the first impulse, then take the clean pullback while the trapped side liquidates. If the session is slower and directional, Brad switches to the trend-pullback swing—align with the higher timeframe, buy/sell the dip back to a reference like VWAP, and let structure do the work. The edge comes from matching the setup to the regime, not forcing yesterday’s tactic on today’s tape.
He keeps entry rules simple and exits more mechanical than predictive. On event days, Brad Jelinek takes partials quickly to de-risk, then trails a runner behind fresh swings; on trend days, he targets measured moves or channel edges and avoids chasing third pushes. If volatility or liquidity shifts mid-session, he downgrades from A setups to B—smaller size, tighter leash, and fewer attempts. By picking the right play first and letting execution ride shotgun, he turns “What’s the market doing?” into a profitable habit instead of a guess.
Diversify by Product, Strategy, and Timeframe to Smooth the Equity Curve
Brad Jelinek spreads his effort across multiple products, so he’s not hostage to one market’s mood. If ES is sloppy, NQ, CL, or GC might offer a cleaner structure, and he’ll pivot rather than force trades. He also mixes strategies—event-driven intraday for bursty sessions and trend-pullback swings for grindy tapes—so he’s not reliant on a single edge that cycles hot and cold.
Time diversification is the third layer Brad Jelinek leans on to reduce variance. He balances fast intraday trades with slower holds aligned to the higher timeframe, letting winners run when conditions allow while still taking paid reps during the session. When one bucket underperforms, another can carry the load, smoothing the equity curve without juicing raw risk. Over many weeks, this blend keeps his P&L steadier and his psychology calmer, which is the real engine behind consistent execution.
Trade Mechanics Over Predictions: Levels, Trapped Participants, Clean Entry-Exit Rules
Brad Jelinek wins by executing a repeatable process, not by guessing tomorrow’s headline. He starts with obvious levels—prior day high/low, overnight extremes, round numbers—and waits for price behavior that exposes who’s trapped. When an extension fails and snaps back inside a key level, that’s information, and Brad turns it into action with predefined entries and stops. The focus is on behavior at the level, not on being “right” about direction hours in advance.
Once in, Brad Jelinek lets the mechanics do the heavy lifting. He takes partials where opposing liquidity usually shows up, then trails behind fresh swings so a good trade can become a great one without micromanaging. If momentum stalls or the thesis gets invalidated by a stronger push the other way, he exits cleanly and moves on. The goal is simple: read the tape, execute the rule, and let probabilities compound rather than chasing perfection.
Protect the Downside: Daily Loss Caps, Heat Limits, Automatic Timeouts
Brad Jelinek treats risk like a fixed bill that gets paid before any profits. He sets a daily loss cap and stops the session the moment it’s hit—no exceptions, no “one more trade.” To prevent creeping damage, he tracks “heat,” the total unrealized risk across open positions, and won’t allow it to exceed a preset multiple of his per-day limit. He also forbids widening stops; if the price invalidates the idea, he’s out and resets rather than negotiating with the market.
Automatic timeouts are Brad Jelinek’s antidote to tilt. Two quick losses in the same setup trigger a break, a regime re-label, and a size reduction for the next attempt. If slippage or spreads blow out, he halves the size or switches products until conditions normalize. With these simple brakes—cap, heat guard, and timeout—Brad keeps drawdowns shallow and gives himself more swings at the fat-pitch days that actually move the equity curve.
Brad Jelinek’s core lesson is adaptability: drop your preconceptions each session and “observe the market like it’s an alien planet,” letting the tape tell you what’s actually working right now. That mindset protects you when conditions turn manic—when trends run and experience can tempt you into fighting the tape—by steering you toward what the market is offering instead of what you wish it would do.
Operationally, he blends event-driven intraday tactics with trend-pullback swings: press on busy, catalyst-heavy days; downshift or step aside when action grinds and day trading becomes a paper-cut machine. He built that hybrid from years in futures at a prop firm, selectively adding equity plays and stretching holding periods when the environment demanded it, not because a fixed playbook said so. The throughline is hunting for “stuck” participants at meaningful levels and letting that behavioral edge—not predictions—drive entries and exits.
Around that, Brad emphasizes building multiple tools and letting them cycle in and out of favor without emotional attachment. In a world of algos, rigid, programmable edges get crowded; a flexible, strategic mindset plus a small set of proven patterns keeps you in the game for years. He keeps learning loops open—listening to other traders, testing, discarding what doesn’t fit his temperament—and prioritizes lifestyle and “active pause” habits so performance rides on clarity, not grind. Ultimately, the job is personal: know yourself, pick your spots, and design your work so you can do less, wait more, and hit harder when it’s easy.
