Trading Combines vs. Live Funded Accounts
My Aggressive Yet Calculated Approach
In my opinion, trading combines requires a completely different mindset from trading a funded account. For me, the longer a combine drags on, the longer I go without making money—and time is capital. If it takes me over two months to pass a combine, that’s two months with no payout, which is why my approach to combines is intentionally aggressive.
The Realization
This shift in strategy didn’t come overnight. In my most recent combine, I took a conservative approach, treating it as I would a funded account. The result? It dragged on for over three months before I finally passed. That experience taught me a valuable lesson: in a combine, playing it safe for too long means delaying the real reward—earning payouts. With that in mind, I revamped my approach to combines, prioritizing efficiency and bold execution.
The Combine Strategy
In a combine, I focus on making bold moves utilizing 2-5 contracts (minis) per trade. My philosophy is simple: I’m willing to risk $45 for a reset if it means achieving the goal quickly. However, this doesn’t mean I trade recklessly. My aim is to keep resets to a maximum of one per month, while targeting a 1-2 week completion time for passing the combine. As I get more consistent with payouts, I want to tighten this up further—passing in just 2-3 trades would be ideal.
This strategy allows me to take on bigger risks in the short term, knowing the cost of failure is manageable. However, I must keep myself in check to avoid blowing combines unnecessarily.
Transitioning to Funded Accounts
Once I’ve secured a funded account, my mindset shifts entirely to capital preservation mode. At this stage, my focus is on longevity and steady growth. This is when I employ strict daily loss limits—such as $200/day for a $50K account. This means I’d need to hit my daily loss limit for 10 consecutive days before hitting the maximum drawdown of $2k on the account.
My Funded Account Strategy
When trading funded accounts, I take a more conservative approach. I typically take 3-5 trades per day, aiming for 5-10 ticks per trade. My maximum daily loss is 18 ticks, and my daily profit target is also 18 ticks.
Daily Goal: 18 ticks net profit, 3-5 A+ trades max.
Stop Trading: Once you hit $200 for the day.
Payout Strategy: After five successful $200 days, immediately request payout.
Per Trade Stop-Loss: 5-10 ticks ($50-$125).
Profit Target: 5-10 ticks ($50-$125).
Reward-to-Risk Ratio: Use a 1:1-to-2:1 reward-to-risk ratio.
This strategy aligns with my long-term goals of preserving capital and building a sustainable trading career. By trading smaller and focusing on high-probability setups, I can steadily grow the account without putting the balance at unnecessary risk.
By balancing aggression during combines with caution in funded accounts, I’ve found an approach that aligns with both my short-term goals and long-term sustainability.
Lastly, please keep in mind that what works for me may not work for you. I only intend to share my journey with those who are on the same path towards financial freedom, hoping to both inspire and prove to myself that this is all possible.