As someone who has spent over three decades in the trenches of futures trading, both as a LIFFE Local and a derivatives desk head for major banks, I’ve seen the industry change dramatically. One of the most significant changes is how traders are educated today—relying heavily on predictive models, technical analysis, and theories that I believe lead many retail traders to failure. That’s why I created The Norden Method.
The Norden Method is my attempt to revive and adapt the tried-and-true market-making techniques that professional traders like myself used on the trading floors, but for the modern electronic trading world. Instead of focusing on predictions and hindsight, I teach traders how to focus on what’s happening in the market right now.
The Philosophy Behind The Norden Method
One of the key principles I teach in The Norden Method is what I call “trading the now.” Most retail traders are obsessed with predicting future market movements based on past data, charts, or some technical indicator. But in my years on the trading floor, and later as a desk head, I learned that success in trading doesn’t come from predicting the future; it comes from reacting to what’s happening in the market at this very moment.
In the old days, market makers were more like bookmakers than gamblers. Bookmakers constantly adjust their odds based on real-time information, and market makers do something very similar. We don’t care about what happened five minutes ago, let alone five days ago—we care about what’s happening right now. That’s the mindset I try to instill in traders who go through The Norden Method.
The Problem with Predictive Trading Models
Throughout my career, I’ve seen many traders fall victim to predictive models and technical analysis. These systems are built on the idea that past price movements can reliably forecast future ones. But anyone who’s spent time in the markets knows that this just isn’t true. Predictive models might work for a short time, but eventually, they fail, often leading traders to significant losses.
I’ve seen countless retail traders misled by educators who have never traded professionally. These educators sell courses that promise easy money based on technical indicators or price patterns, but the truth is, these methods are doomed to fail because they lack a grounding in real-world market dynamics.
The Norden Method takes the opposite approach. Rather than predicting where the market will go, I teach traders to focus on the structure and behavior of the market right now. By understanding the flow of orders and how liquidity moves through the market, traders can make decisions based on current conditions—not on the hope that a chart pattern will play out as predicted.
The Norden Method Curriculum: A Step-by-Step Pathway
I designed The Norden Method curriculum to mirror the structured training that professional traders like myself had to go through on the trading floors. My goal is to help traders build real, endurable skills one step at a time. Here’s how the program works:
1. Yellow Jacket Course
This is the starting point for everyone who joins The Norden Method. The Yellow Jacket Course is designed to give you a solid understanding of the fundamentals of futures markets. Just like in the old days on the LIFFE floor, where new traders had to prove their basic knowledge before being allowed to trade, the Yellow Jacket Course ensures you know the essentials.
At the end of the course, there’s an exam you’ll need to pass with at least 80% to move on. This is a crucial step before diving deeper into the strategy.
2. Blue Button Course – Introduction to Order Flow Trading
If you’re newer to futures trading or need a more detailed learning experience, the Blue Button Course – Introduction to Order Flow Trading is for you. This course is video-based and goes deeper into the mechanics of futures markets. There’s no exam for this course—just an opportunity to absorb the material at your own pace and improve your understanding of how markets work.
3. Red Jacket Course
The Red Jacket Course is the final and most comprehensive part of The Norden Method. It includes all the previous material, plus live-market videos, quizzes, and a certification exam. This is where you really get into the nitty-gritty of applying The Norden Method in live trading. By the end of this course, you’ll know how to think and act like a professional market maker, just as I did on the trading floors.
What Makes The Norden Method Different?
- We Don’t Predict; We Trade the Now: One of the biggest differences between The Norden Method and other trading systems is that we don’t try to predict where the market is going. Instead, I teach you how to focus on what the market is doing right now. Are prices higher or lower than their true value in this moment? Can you buy cheaper or sell higher? That’s what matters.
- We Abandon Price Levels: A lot of traders are obsessed with so-called “price levels” that they believe act as support or resistance. But from my experience, these levels are meaningless in a fast-moving market. They make decision-making easier, but they don’t lead to better decisions. The sooner you abandon these ideas, the better your trading will become.
- A Market-Maker Mindset: The goal of The Norden Method is to teach you to think like a market maker, not a speculator. Market makers don’t sit around waiting for a big price move—they’re constantly in and out of trades, providing liquidity. It’s a fast, dynamic style of trading that’s very different from what most retail traders are taught.
- Clarity and Discipline: Successful trading requires mental clarity and discipline, something I emphasize heavily throughout The Norden Method. You need to understand your role in the market and approach trading with the mindset of providing liquidity, not gambling on price movements.
Who is The Norden Method For?
The Norden Method is for traders who are tired of the limitations of predictive models and technical analysis. It’s for intermediate to experienced traders who have realized that the traditional retail education model just doesn’t work. If you’re someone who’s ready to break away from the herd and learn how professionals approach the markets, then The Norden Method is for you.
It’s also for traders who appreciate structure and discipline. The path I’ve laid out is based on the same rigorous training floor traders had to go through in the pits. If you’re ready to do the work, abandon the old ways of thinking, and focus on real-time market conditions, then you’ll find success with The Norden Method.
A Return to Professionalism in Futures Trading
My career in futures trading has spanned decades and included leading some of the largest derivatives desks in the world. Throughout that time, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. The Norden Method is my way of bringing professionalism back to futures trading—a field that has been overtaken by gimmicks and short-term fads.
The ultimate goal of The Norden Method is to help traders develop the skills they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced markets. By abandoning predictions and focusing on market structure, you can begin trading with the clarity, confidence, and professionalism that once defined the best traders in the world.
If you’re ready to start your journey with The Norden Method, sign up for the Yellow Jacket Course today and begin building your trading career the right way.
