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In this interview, veteran floor trader Norm Winski—ex-CBOE market maker with five decades in the game—breaks down his unconventional, time-first approach to trading. Recorded as an easygoing pod conversation, it explores why Norm matters to active traders: he’s built a long career around timing windows derived from planetary cycles, then overlays simple chart work to execute. Instead of obsessing over exact prices, he focuses on when markets are most likely to turn—and lets the tape confirm the entry.
You’ll learn how Norm prioritizes timing over price, uses events like new/full moons and larger planetary alignments to anticipate inflection points, and then combines that timing with straightforward tools—support/resistance, a clean trendline, and a firm stop. He explains when to fade strength/weakness, why sideways action is a no-trade, and how to structure asymmetric risk (shooting for multiple units of reward for every unit of risk). If you’re new to his work, this piece gives you a practical on-ramp: when to look for a turn, how to align it with your existing setup, and how to keep the process simple.
Norm Winski Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Philosophy: Time First, Price Second
Norm Winski’s edge is timing. He believes if you have the right time, the price will present itself—so you prepare for turns and let the tape confirm. He focuses on when markets are likely to pivot, then uses simple chart cues to execute.
- Trade around pre-identified “turn windows” rather than chasing price.
- If the price is running up into a turn window, look for a spot to sell; if running down, look for a spot to buy.
- Use the chart only to locate your entry/exit within the window; don’t force trades outside your time window.
The Timing Model: Lunar & Planetary Cycle Confluence
Norm builds a calendar of probable turning points using lunar phases (new/full moon) for shorter swings and broader planetary aspects for bigger moves. He watches currencies, especially around new/full moons, then scales up with larger astro cycles for indices and commodities.
- Mark every new moon and full moon; expect FX turns within ±1 trading day.
- Treat higher-timeframe planetary alignments as “major” windows for equities and commodities; prepare for significant inflections.
- Increase conviction when multiple cycles cluster on the same date; decrease when signals are isolated or conflicting.
Markets & Timeframes He Targets
He started on the stock side and still treats indices as core, but he also tracks ~25–30 markets and will apply the same timing logic to FX and futures. Short-term moves can align with the moon; broader trends with larger cycles.
- Keep a weekly “turn calendar” for indices (S&P, Dow, Nasdaq), key commodities, and major FX pairs.
- Assign each market a primary timing driver (lunar vs. planetary) and review alignment every weekend.
- Only plan trades for symbols with upcoming turn dates; skip those with no timing edge this week.
Entry Triggers: Simple Chart Work at the Right Time
The model tells you “when,” and the chart helps you choose “where.” Norm keeps it straightforward: support/resistance, swing highs/lows, and a clean trendline—nothing fancy.
- Into a bullish window: wait for price to sweep a prior low, then reclaim; buy the retest with a tight stop below the sweep.
- Into a bearish window: wait for a push into resistance or a sweep of recent highs; sell the failure back inside.
- If price chops and gives no clear rejection near your time window, skip the trade—no signal, no entry.
Risk & Reward: Built for Asymmetry
He wants multiple units of reward for every unit of risk from the outset. By combining timing (raise win probability) with asymmetric payoffs, the math can work in your favor.
- Structure trades seeking at least 3:1 potential; pass on 1:1 setups.
- Place stops just beyond the invalidation (last swing high/low that triggered your entry).
- If price doesn’t move away decisively within your window, reduce risk or exit—your timing edge may have passed.
Trade Selection: Align the Tape With the Clock
Norm’s filter is simple: if the market is moving up into a bearish window, he looks to fade it; if moving down into a bullish window, he buys the washout. The direction of travel into the time window matters.
- Bearish window + rising price = stake short at resistance or on a failed breakout.
- Bullish window + falling price = stake long after a liquidity sweep and reclaim.
- Neutral/choppy action near the window = no trade; preserve capital for the next date.
Playbook Example: Currencies Around New/Full Moons
He often highlights how FX can pivot near lunar phases. The tactic is to combine the moon window with one clean trigger, then let risk management do the heavy lifting.
- Build a monthly schedule of all new/full moons; flag the prior and next trading day.
- On flagged days, wait for a level sweep (previous day’s high/low) and enter on the reclaim/failure.
- First target = opposing day’s range edge; final target = 3R or major HTF level—whichever comes first.
Playbook Example: Indices Into Major Cycle Dates
For equities and stock indices, larger planetary alignments can mark durable turns. Treat these as higher-impact dates and plan fewer, higher-quality trades.
- Size positions modestly but allows wider targets when a “major” date clusters with technical exhaustion.
- Look for daily/weekly reversal patterns (engulfing, failed breakout) that trigger inside the window.
- If price sprints away before you’re in, do not chase; wait for a retrace to the broken level or skip.
Routine & Preparation: How He Stays Ready
Norm has published a monthly market-timing letter for decades, laying out key dates in advance. You don’t need a newsletter to copy the workflow—you need a calendar and discipline.
- Every weekend: update the next 2–4 weeks of turn windows and pre-plan trades by market.
- Each morning: note the day’s window(s), pre-mark entry/stop/targets, and define invalidation before the open.
- After the close: log outcomes vs. the window; tag wins/losses by setup quality and adherence to plan.
Mindset & Filters: What to Ignore
He’s blunt about conventional lagging indicators: they’re not his edge. The edge is anticipating turns; everything else is just execution.
- Don’t rely on moving averages/oscillators for the signal; use them only for basic structure if at all.
- Skip trades when timing and structure disagree; you need both aligned to take risk.
- Keep charts clean; one or two levels plus the window is enough to act decisively.
Provenance & Background (Why Listen)
Norm is a former Chicago floor trader and CBOE market maker who’s been timing markets for decades. His process blends astro-cycles with straightforward technical execution and strict risk/reward math.
- He began at the CBOE in 1975 and traded on the floor for 12 years before focusing on forecasting.
- He’s produced monthly timing plans since the late 1970s and still frames trades around those windows.
- The philosophy never changes: get the time right, then use the market’s own movement to find the price.
Time-First Trading: Plan turn windows, then let price confirm entries
Norm Winski starts with time, not price. He maps “turn windows” in advance and shows up ready to trade only when those windows arrive. Instead of predicting the exact top or bottom, he waits for the market to tip its hand near that window and then acts. This keeps him patient during dead periods and focused when probability is briefly on his side.
In practice, Norm Winski lets the tape confirm before committing capital. If price runs up into a bearish window and then rejects a level, he sells; if it washes out into a bullish window and reclaims support, he buys. Stops go just beyond the invalidation that triggered the entry, and targets are planned before the click. By separating “when” from “where,” he stays mechanical, avoids forcing trades, and turns time into the core of his edge.
Scale position size to volatility around high-impact timing clusters
Norm Winski treats volatility like the volume knob on his risk. When timing clusters stack—say multiple cycle cues on the same date—he prepares to size up, but only if the chart confirms. If the tape is jumpy and ranges expand, he narrows the initial size and lets the market prove direction first. When ranges compress into a window, he’s comfortable pressing a clean confirmation because targets have better asymmetry.
Practically, Norm Winski ties size to expected range and distance to invalidation. If the stop needs to be wider, he cuts units so the dollar risk stays constant. If the stop can sit tight beneath the trigger, he can increase contracts without changing total risk. He sides with the idea that volatility is a feature, not a bug—big swings help if your entry is disciplined and your risk is fixed. That way, the same playbook adapts seamlessly whether the market is whisper-quiet or roaring.
Prefer defined risk with tight stops; avoid open-ended fade scenarios.
Norm Winski is adamant that every trade starts with a clear invalidation. If the market proves him wrong, the stop takes him out quickly and cheaply. He avoids “hope” fades where the loss can balloon while you wait for a miracle reversal. Defined risk means the maximum damage is known before entry, and the upside is planned with multiple reward units in mind.
In practice, Norm Winski places the stop just beyond the precise level that triggered the setup—above the failed breakout for shorts, below the reclaimed low for longs. If volatility forces a wider stop, he cuts position size so the dollars at risk remain constant. He refuses to widen stops after entry or average losers; the next opportunity comes at the next window. With that discipline, every trade is a small, controlled bet aimed at asymmetric payoff, not a slow-motion blowup.
Diversify by market and timeframe, trade only during scheduled windows
Norm Winski doesn’t bet the farm on one symbol or one timeframe. He spreads opportunity across indices, FX, and commodities, then narrows focus to whatever has a near-term timing window. This keeps him active without forcing trades where there’s no edge. The key is simple: if a market has no scheduled window, it’s off the board until it does.
He also staggers timeframes so the calendar is always offering something—intraday moves around smaller windows, swing positions around bigger ones. When a window hits, Norm Winski syncs the higher-timeframe bias with a lower-timeframe trigger to sharpen entries and tighten risk. If the alignment isn’t there, he passes and waits for the next date. Diversification here isn’t randomness; it’s a structured rotation across markets and clocks where the edge is actually present.
Mechanics overprediction: predefine invalidation, entries, and profit-taking rules
Norm Winski treats prediction as a trap and mechanics as the job. Before the session begins, he writes the plan: where the setup triggers, where it’s invalid, and where partials will come off. That checklist lets him execute fast when the window hits instead of improvising under pressure. The goal isn’t to be right about narratives—it’s to be consistent about actions.
In practice, Norm Winski tags an entry condition (e.g., reclaim after a sweep), sets the stop a tick beyond invalidation, and stages profit targets at logical levels. If the market hits target one, he scales, moves the stop to reduce risk, and lets a runner aim for the next objective. If the setup fails, the stop clears the deck, and he resets without debate. By locking rules before the bell, he converts uncertainty into a repeatable routine that works across markets and moods.
Norm Winski’s closing message is simple and memorable: get the time right and the price will reveal itself. He builds his edge by forecasting “turn windows” first, then lets the chart provide the entry and invalidation. In his words, if markets are running up into a bearish time, look for a place to sell; if they’re running down into a bullish time, look for a place to buy—always at the right time.
For shorter swings, Norm highlights how currencies often pivot within a day of new or full moons, a quick experiment any trader can verify; for broader moves across stocks, bonds, grains, and metals, he watches larger planetary alignments for higher-impact inflections. The playbook is to prepare the calendar, show up for the window, and require the tape to confirm before committing capital.
Risk is defined, not hoped away. Norm rejects lagging tools as the signal and treats timing as the leading indicator, so every trade starts with a clear invalidation and asymmetric reward in mind. He’s traded and forecasted a wide slate of markets for decades, publishing monthly timing plans since the late 1970s—evidence of a process built on preparation, discipline, and repeatability.
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