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Trading Building Blocks Overview

Nov 5, 2025

Overview

This session covers combining five trading building blocks to make sound trading decisions and develop a solid execution plan for market entries.

Building Blocks

The five core concepts are:

  • Liquidity sweep
  • Break of structure
  • Order block
  • Fair value gap
  • Equilibrium

What Each Building Block Reveals

Liquidity Sweeps

  • Show potential for orders to get filled
  • Indicate a high or low getting taken out
  • Require confirmation before acting on the signal

Break of Structure

  • Confirms that orders were actually filled
  • Shows a market structure shift has occurred
  • Validates liquidity sweep when paired together

Order Blocks

  • Identify the price range where orders were filled
  • Represent the move that caused the liquidity sweep
  • Serve as optimal retracement entry points

Fair Value Gaps

  • Show price range with lack of liquidity
  • Represent large imbalance candles with no counteracting orders
  • Indicate absence of opposite-direction orders in that price range

Equilibrium

  • Helps find discounted price between highs and lows
  • Used to confirm favorable entry pricing

Entry Strategies by Risk Level

StrategyComponentsRisk LevelKey Characteristics
1Liquidity Sweep + Break of StructureMost RiskyEnter at top of move after confirmation only
2Strategy 1 + Order BlockMedium-High RiskWait for retracement to where orders were filled; better risk/reward
3Strategy 1 + Fair Value GapMedium RiskEnter when fair value gap fills; useful if order block missed
4Strategy 1 + (Order Block or FVG) + EquilibriumLeast RiskyUltimate confluence; foolproof for beginners; confirms discount pricing

Strategy Details

Strategy 1 (Highest Risk):

  • Enter when liquidity sweep is confirmed by break of structure
  • Represents top of the move

Strategy 2:

  • Same as Strategy 1 but wait for price to retrace to order block
  • Place stops above the highs
  • Better risk/reward than immediate entry

Strategy 3:

  • Can be used if order block entry is missed
  • Price must fill the fair value gap (lack of liquidity zone)
  • Enter on fill or reaction from that level

Strategy 4 (Recommended for Beginners):

  • Requires all confirmations: liquidity sweep, break of structure, order block or fair value gap, plus equilibrium
  • Most conservative approach with maximum confluence
  • Confirms price is at discount before entry

Key Principles

Understanding Market Movement

  • Avoid relying on simple indicators like EMA crosses
  • Understand why markets move based on order flow concepts
  • Know what each building block represents and why it matters

Strategy Selection

  • Choose one strategy that fits your experience level
  • Beginners should use Strategy 4 for maximum confirmation
  • More experienced traders can use riskier strategies with less confirmation

Action Items

  • Write down all five building blocks and their definitions in notebook
  • Document what each building block tells us about the market
  • Choose one entry strategy for your execution plan
  • Include chosen strategy in your trading plan
  • Review bootcamp videos on each building block if concepts are unclear
  • Revisit YouTube videos on individual building blocks from channel start
  • Prepare for Part 2 video with chart examples of all strategy combinations