July 8, 2026 | Free (Public)
Over the past four weeks I have walked you through all six conditions — what they look like, what strategies belong in each one, and what to avoid.
This week is about the habit that ties it all together.
Because knowing the Six-Condition Framework is not enough. The market shifts. Conditions transition. A C1 environment in January can become a C4 by March. The trader who identified the condition once at the start of the year and never checked again is trading blind by spring.
The fix is simple: a weekly routine that takes fifteen minutes and keeps your framework current at all times.
Here is exactly how to build it.
Why Weekly — Not Daily
Before we get into the routine, one question worth answering: why weekly and not daily?
The Six-Condition Framework is built on the **daily timeframe**. The 21 EMA on a daily chart filters out the noise of intraday movement and gives you the dominant condition — the one that governs your strategy selection for the week ahead.
Checking the condition every day creates two problems. First, it invites overreaction to short-term fluctuations that do not represent a real condition change. Second, it encourages over-trading — constantly adjusting positions in response to daily noise rather than weekly structure.
Once a week — at the same time, every week — is the right cadence. Enough to stay current. Not so often that you second-guess every move the market makes.
The best time: **Sunday evening or Monday morning before the market opens.** You are reviewing last week’s close with fresh eyes and setting your framework for the week ahead.
The 15-Minute Weekly Routine
Step 1 — Chart Review: SPY (3 Minutes)
Open SPY on a daily chart. Add the 21 EMA if it is not already there.
Answer three questions:
**1. Where is price relative to the 21 EMA?**
Above = bullish bias. Below = bearish bias. Crossing back and forth = ranging.
**2. What is the slope of the 21 EMA?**
Rising = uptrend confirmed. Declining = downtrend confirmed. Flat = range confirmed.
**3. Has anything changed since last week?**
Did price cross the EMA? Did the slope change direction? Did the market make a new high or new low of significance?
If the answer to question 3 is no — the condition is the same as last week. Note it and move on.
If the answer is yes — the condition may be transitioning. Give it extra attention.
Step 2 — VIX Review (2 Minutes)
Open the VIX on a daily chart. Same 21 EMA.
Answer two questions:
**1. Where is VIX relative to its 21 EMA?**
Above = High IV. Below = Low IV.
**2. Is VIX trending, spiking, or declining?**
A trending VIX (moving steadily in one direction) confirms a stable condition.
A spiking VIX (sharp move up in one or two sessions) signals a potential condition shift — often toward C4.
A declining VIX after a spike signals the fear is subsiding — potential transition out of C4.
Step 3 — Name the Condition (30 Seconds)
Combine your SPY and VIX readings. Write it down.
*”Week of July 8 — C1. Bullish / Low IV. SPY above 21 EMA, slope rising. VIX below 21 EMA, trending lower.”*
That single sentence is your trading mandate for the week. Every position you open, every adjustment you make, every strategy you consider — it gets filtered through that condition.
Step 4 — Review Open Positions (5 Minutes)
With the current condition named, review every open position through that lens.
Ask three questions for each position:
**1. Was this position opened in the same condition?**
If you opened a short strangle in C5 and the condition is now C1, the position may still be viable — but the environment has changed. Reassess.
**2. Is the position behaving as expected for the current condition?**
A bull put spread should be moving in your favor in C1. If it is not, find out why. Is it an underlying-specific issue or a condition mismatch?
**3. Does any position need to be adjusted or closed based on the current condition?**
If the condition has shifted to C4 and you are running naked short puts, that is the moment to close or convert to spreads — not after the market opens on Monday and gaps lower.
Step 5 — Set Your Weekly Plan (4 Minutes)
Based on the current condition, answer four planning questions:
**1. What strategy class does this condition call for?**
C1 → covered calls, bull spreads
C2 → cash-secured puts, bull put spreads
C3 → reduced exposure, protective puts, cash
C4 → minimum exposure, defined risk only, or stand aside
C5 → iron condors, credit spreads
C6 → patience, minimal activity
**2. What is my maximum buying power deployment this week?**
Set a number. C1 and C2 → higher allocation. C3 and C4 → lower. C6 → minimal.
**3. Are there any earnings events or macro catalysts this week that could shift the condition?**
Check the economic calendar. FOMC, CPI, major earnings — any of these can shift condition mid-week. Note them and plan your management accordingly.
**4. What would cause me to change my condition assessment mid-week?**
Define in advance what you would need to see to call a condition change. SPY closing below the 21 EMA for two consecutive sessions. VIX spiking above a key level. Having a pre-defined trigger removes emotion from the reassessment.
The Weekly Condition Log
The single most valuable habit you can build alongside this routine is keeping a weekly condition log.
It does not need to be elaborate. A simple note — dated, condition named, brief rationale — is enough.
June 4 — C1 | SPY above 21 EMA, slope rising. VIX at 14, below EMA.
June 11 — C1 | Condition unchanged. SPY new high. VIX drifting lower.
June 18 — C2 | SPY still above EMA but VIX spiked to 19 on FOMC week.
June 25 — C2 | VIX holding above EMA. Seller’s edge intact.
July 2 — C1 | VIX retreated below EMA. Back to C1.
Over time, this log becomes one of the most instructive documents you own as a trader. You can look back at any period and see exactly what condition you were in, whether your strategy matched it, and what the outcome was. Patterns emerge. Discipline compounds.
What to Do When You Miss a Week
Life happens. You miss a Sunday review. Monday comes and you have not checked.
Simple protocol: **check before you trade, not after.**
Before opening any new position on Monday, spend five minutes running through Steps 1–3. Name the condition. Then proceed.
Never enter a new position without knowing the current condition. That is the one non-negotiable rule of the framework.
The Routine in Full
| Step | Task | Time |
|------|------|------|
| 1 | SPY chart — trend direction | 3 min |
| 2 | VIX chart — IV level | 2 min |
| 3 | Name the condition | 30 sec |
| 4 | Review open positions | 5 min |
| 5 | Set weekly plan | 4 min |
| **Total** | | **~15 min** |
Fifteen minutes. Every week. Same time.
That is the habit that separates a trader who uses the Six-Condition Framework occasionally from one who uses it consistently — and the difference in results between those two traders is not small.
Paid Members — Your Weekly Brief
For paid members of The Premium Desk, this routine is already done for you every week.
Every Monday I publish the **Six-Condition Weekly Brief** — the current condition identified, the strategy class named, the key levels and catalysts for the week ahead, and any position management notes based on the current environment.
You can run your own routine alongside it, use it as a second opinion, or use it as your primary weekly framework. Either way, you start every trading week knowing exactly what condition you are in and what that means for your positions.
**Founding Member access closes September 2, 2026.** $499, one payment, lifetime access to every weekly brief and every piece of content published on this platform — forever.
*Quality First. Condition Second. Strategy Third.*
*— Eddy Alexandre*
*Author, Trading Options Like a Risk Manager*
*The Premium Desk LLC | thepremiumdesk.com*
**[Subscribe Free] [Become a Founding Member — Closes September 2, 2026]**
*© 2026 The Premium Desk LLC*
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