Trading and Crypto

How to Find High-Probability Trading Entries Using the ICC Framework

How I Find My Trading Entries | Trading Course 003

Video: How I Find My Trading Entries | Trading Course 003

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· based on the channel SCI

Key takeaways

  • ICC stands for Indication, Correction, Continuation — a three-phase model for finding entries.
  • The indication is a strong impulsive move that breaks a key swing high or low.
  • The correction is a pullback that retraces part of that impulse without breaking its origin.
  • Continuation is confirmed by a lower-timeframe shift in order flow, such as a break of structure.
  • Risk is defined by the correction extreme, allowing a tight stop and a favorable reward-to-risk ratio.
  • The model works across forex, indices, and crypto, but only when applied to clean, high-volume sessions.

Trading entries are found by waiting for the market to show its hand: a strong impulse (indication), a controlled pullback (correction), and a clear shift in order flow (continuation). The ICC framework — Indication, Correction, Continuation — turns that sequence into a repeatable checklist you can apply on any chart, from XAUUSD to Bitcoin. For the full course and live trade breakdowns, follow the author on Instagram: tradesbysci.

What the ICC framework actually means for trading

ICC is a three-phase model that describes how a trending move typically unfolds, and it gives you a specific moment to enter rather than a vague "buy the dip" instruction. The letters stand for Indication, Correction, and Continuation.

  • Indication — a strong, impulsive move that breaks a previous swing high (in an uptrend) or swing low (in a downtrend). This is the market showing intent. It should be aggressive, with large candles and little overlap.
  • Correction — a pullback against that impulse. It often retraces into a previous area of support or resistance, a fair value gap, or a Fibonacci zone. The key rule: the correction must not fully erase the indication move.
  • Continuation — the moment the original direction resumes. On a lower timeframe, you look for a break of structure or a shift in order flow that confirms buyers (or sellers) are back in control.

The entry itself is taken on the continuation, not during the correction. That distinction is what separates traders who catch the move from those who get stopped out trying to guess the bottom.

How to mark up a chart before you look for an entry

Marking up the chart is the preparation step that makes the entry obvious when it appears. Without it, every candle looks like a signal.

  1. Identify the higher-timeframe trend. Start on a 4-hour or daily chart. If price is making higher highs and higher lows, you are looking for long setups; lower highs and lower lows, short setups.
  2. Mark the key swing points. Highlight the most recent significant swing high and swing low. These are the levels the indication needs to break.
  3. Draw your zones of interest. These can be order blocks, fair value gaps, or previous support/resistance. The correction will often return to one of them.
  4. Drop to a lower timeframe. Once an indication candle breaks a swing point, switch to a 15-minute or 5-minute chart to watch the correction and wait for the continuation signal.

The markup is not a prediction — it is a map. It tells you where you are willing to do business and where you are not.

Step-by-step: finding the entry on the lower timeframe

Finding the entry is a mechanical process once the markup is done. The sequence below is the same whether you trade forex, indices, or crypto.

  1. Wait for the indication. A candle or series of candles breaks the marked swing point with momentum. If the break is weak or choppy, skip it.
  2. Let the correction develop. Do not enter during the pullback. Watch how price behaves as it retraces — is it slow and overlapping (healthy) or fast and aggressive (possibly a reversal)?
  3. Watch for a shift in order flow. On the lower timeframe, you want to see the correction's structure break in the direction of the original impulse. For example, in a bullish setup, price makes a lower low during the correction; the continuation signal is a break above the most recent lower high.
  4. Enter on the break or the retest. Aggressive traders enter on the break of the lower-timeframe structure; conservative traders wait for a retest of that broken level.
  5. Place your stop below the correction low (or above the correction high for shorts). This keeps the risk small and defined.
  6. Target the previous impulse high or the next higher-timeframe liquidity level. A common approach is to target the origin of the indication move or the next swing point.

The most common mistake is entering too early — during the correction — because the pullback looks like a discount. The ICC model forces you to wait for confirmation, which improves the probability even if it means a slightly worse price.

Risk management and trade management rules

Risk management is what keeps the ICC model profitable over a series of trades, not any single entry. Because the stop is placed at the correction extreme, the distance is usually small, which allows a reward-to-risk ratio of 2:1 or better.

  • Risk a fixed percentage per trade. Many traders use 0.5% to 1% of account equity. This keeps drawdowns survivable even during losing streaks.
  • Move to break-even only after price reaches the first target. Moving too early gets you stopped out on normal retracements.
  • Take partial profits at the previous swing point. This locks in gains and reduces the emotional pressure of holding.
  • Invalidate the setup if the correction breaks the origin of the indication. If the pullback goes deeper than the start of the impulse, the structure is no longer valid.

A trader's comment on the course noted that poor risk management and emotion caused a hard lesson even after early success. The model only works if the risk per trade is small enough that a loss does not change your decision-making.

Common questions and mistakes traders make with entries

Entry timing looks simple on a chart in hindsight but feels ambiguous in real time. The questions below come from recurring themes in the trading community around this course.

  • "I understand ICC but still miss entries." This usually means the trader is not marking up the chart in advance, so the indication and correction are only recognized after the move is over. Markup first, then wait.
  • "The correction is too deep — is it still valid?" If the correction breaks the origin of the indication move, the setup is invalid. A valid correction holds above (or below) the start of the impulse.
  • "How do I know the continuation is real?" You do not know — you manage. A shift in order flow on the lower timeframe plus a defined stop is the best available confirmation.
  • "Can I trade this on any session?" Low-volume sessions can produce choppy, unreliable indications. The cleanest setups often appear during the London and New York sessions when volatility and participation are higher.

Simplicity is the point: one model, applied consistently, with strict risk control. Adding indicators or extra timeframes to "improve" the entry usually makes the process harder, not better.

Final thoughts on building a repeatable entry process

The ICC framework gives traders a structured way to find entries: wait for the indication, let the correction form, and enter on the continuation with a defined stop. It is not a prediction tool — it is a filter that keeps you out of low-probability trades and forces patience. The channel SCI breaks down this model in its Trading Course series, showing how the same three phases apply across forex, indices, and crypto. If you want to see the concepts applied live, follow tradesbysci on Instagram and practice the markup routine on a demo account before risking real capital. Consistency comes from repetition, not from finding a secret indicator.

Source: How I Find My Trading Entries | Trading Course 003 · Markdown version

Questions & answers

What does ICC stand for in trading?

ICC stands for Indication, Correction, and Continuation. It is a three-phase model that describes how a trending move develops and where to enter: after a strong impulse breaks a key level, a pullback forms, and the entry is taken when the original direction resumes with a shift in order flow.

How do I know if a correction is still valid?

A correction is valid as long as it does not fully break the origin of the indication move. In a bullish setup, price should hold above the low of the impulse; if it breaks below that low, the structure is invalidated and you should skip the trade.

Can I use the ICC model on crypto and gold?

Yes. The model is based on market structure and order flow, so it applies to any liquid market, including XAUUSD, major forex pairs, indices, and large-cap crypto. The key is to apply it during sessions with sufficient volume and volatility, such as London and New York.

Why do I keep entering too early during the correction?

Entering early usually happens because the pullback looks like a discount and fear of missing the move takes over. The fix is to define your continuation signal in advance — such as a lower-timeframe break of structure — and only execute when that specific condition is met, not when the price merely looks cheap.