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ILM Trading Model Summary

Jul 12, 2025

Summary

  • The meeting provided an in-depth walkthrough of the Inverted Liquidity Model (ILM), a trading model designed to capitalize on market reversals by leveraging liquidity concepts and fair value gaps.
  • Key components covered included liquidity identification, daily trading routines, model entry/exit rules, the importance of data-driven journaling, and discretionary elements like EMA bias and risk management.
  • The session emphasized actionable steps, including trade journaling, weekly reviews, and top-down technical analysis for trade preparation, with practical examples and references to supplementary resources.

Action Items

  • Ongoing – All Attendees: Download the free ILM trading model PDF and the trade journal sheets from provided links.
  • Next trading session – All Attendees: Apply the ILM model in a demo environment before trading live; review results and adjust strategy as needed.
  • Sundays – Interested Attendees: Join the free weekly live outlook session for level marking and model review.
  • Ongoing – All Attendees: Record every trade using the provided Google Sheets journal for ongoing analysis and improvement.

Model Overview and Core Concepts

  • ILM (Inverted Liquidity Model) specializes in trading reversals by identifying where liquidity (market orders) is likely to be present and where fair value gaps are invalidated.
  • Key concepts include:
    • Liquidity: Areas where buy/sell orders are concentrated (highs/lows, trendlines, equal highs/lows).
    • Sell-side and buy-side liquidity: Locations of probable stop orders (short cover/buy back, long exit/sell back).
    • Fair Value Gaps (FVG): Gaps in price action representing leftover orders; their invalidation signals potential reversals.
    • EMA (15-minute) bias: Used to quickly determine trending versus ranging markets.

Daily Routines and Trade Preparation

  • Daily trading routine:
    • Review losses on weekends for improvement.
    • Pre-session: Identify draw and liquidity for high timeframes and active session.
    • During session: Follow a checklist—ensure it’s a major session (NY or London), conduct top-down/low-timeframe analysis, mark key levels (session highs/lows, clusters, trendlines).
    • Post-trade: Journal every trade with key metrics (free Google Sheets tool provided), focusing on data-driven refinement.
  • Avoid trading on weekends unless trading crypto; major sessions provide higher opportunity.

ILM Model Rules and Application

  • Two main model types:
    1. Retest/Quick Entry (trending markets): Look for fair value gap inversion after a liquidity sweep, enter on retest, use EMA for directional bias.
    2. Rangebound Conservative/Lick-to-Lick (ranging markets): Trade frequent but smaller moves within defined ranges, taking quick profits.
  • Entry: Wait for price to sweep liquidity, produce a fair value gap, then invert (close beyond gap). Enter on retest or immediately, stops below/above the level, and take profit at the next liquidity zone.
  • Trade management: Maximum two trades per day. Move stops to break even after hitting TP1 (1–2.5R), take 80% profit at TP1, remainder at TP2.
  • Emphasis on discretion when countertrading relative to EMA distance and observed liquidity clusters.

Data, Journaling, and Continuous Improvement

  • Rigorous journaling is required to maintain and sharpen an “edge” in trading.
  • Key trade data tracked includes long/short ratios, win rates per session, and performance by weekday.
  • The provided Google Sheets journal automates much of the tracking and is recommended over paid alternatives.

Community, Resources, and Support

  • All resources (full PDF guide, Google Sheets journal, EMA indicators) are provided for free via linked resources.
  • Weekly live trading analysis sessions are offered every Sunday; participants are encouraged to attend for actionable insights.
  • Feedback and questions are welcomed via comments or the Discord group.

Decisions

  • ILM model recommended as primary reversal strategy — based on proven user results, adaptability to all market conditions, and front-tested data supporting profitability.

Open Questions / Follow-Ups

  • Are there additional edge-case scenarios for ILM not addressed in the main guide?
  • Would attendees benefit from deeper dives into model variants or additional case studies? Please provide feedback or specific requests in the community channels.