Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Ken Long is a systematic trader with over 40 years of active trading experience. He is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, former West Point faculty member, and research scientist at the Army Research Institute. He founded Owl Group Trading to teach structured, disciplined trading methodology. He has authored multiple books on systematic trading and position sizing, and developed the MACD Seasons framework used by hundreds of traders worldwide.

MACD Seasons is Dr. Long's proprietary framework for classifying market regime using the MACD indicator. Every instrument is placed into one of four seasonal states: Spring (emerging bullish momentum), Summer (established uptrend), Fall (weakening momentum), and Winter (established downtrend). Each season has specific trading strategies, position sizing rules, and risk parameters. The framework provides a structured lens for reading what the market is doing before deciding what to do about it.

Systematic trading means making decisions based on tested rules and frameworks, rather than intuition or tips. Dr. Long's methodology defines clear Setup, Signal, and Entry conditions for every trade, uses quantitative position sizing (safe-f, CAR25), and requires a written trading plan with predefined risk parameters. Every system taught at OGT is a system Dr. Long actively trades.

Three things. First, Dr. Long has been trading and teaching for over 40 years — every concept is backed by decades of live market experience. Second, the approach is systematic and quantitative — position sizing, backtesting, and risk management are central, not afterthoughts. Third, there are no claims of instant wealth or secret formulas. Trading is treated as a craft that requires deliberate practice, psychological preparation, and disciplined execution.

The Daily Trader Briefing is a free AI-enhanced summary of Dr. Long's proprietary daily report. It surfaces key changes from the previous day: MACD Season transitions, risk dashboard shifts, and concept explanations. For the full daily and weekly reports with comprehensive analysis, trading setups, and podcasts, see the Bronze, Silver, and Gold membership tiers in the Store.

Market, System, and Self are the three domains of trading mastery. Market is the external environment — reading what is happening. System is the trader's rule set — entries, exits, sizing, and risk management. Self is the internal state — psychological preparation, execution discipline, and post-trade review. At the Novice level these feel separate. At the Master level they merge into a unified response to the market.

Dr. Long's trader development model has four stages: Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master. Most students move from Novice to Apprentice within a few months of dedicated study. The Journeyman stage, where the three domains of Market/System/Self begin to overlap, typically takes 1-3 years of active practice. Like any craft, the timeline depends on the student's commitment to deliberate practice, journaling, and systematic review.

Position sizing determines how much capital to allocate to each trade. Dr. Long uses quantitative metrics like safe-f (the largest fraction of capital to risk) and CAR25 (compound annual return at the 25th percentile) to size positions systematically. Proper position sizing is what separates sustainable trading from gambling — it protects capital during drawdowns and compounds gains during favorable conditions.

Yes. The Learn section at owlgrouptrading.com covers 30+ core trading concepts with interactive explanations at three depth levels (simple, detailed, and technical). Dr. Long's YouTube channel has hundreds of hours of free educational content. The daily email includes a summary of the subscriber-only market report.

A focused small-group environment that blends live coaching, disciplined routines, and practical tools so you can learn, apply, and iterate in real time. Dr. Long provides personalized coaching to your specific trading situation. Cohorts are kept small (around 4, no more than 8) so everyone gets individualized attention. This accommodates expert traders as well as those early in their journey.

Weekly sessions (all times CST): Monday 8–9 PM (automated systems development), Tuesday 8–9 PM (SPY/ES futures & options, by invitation), Wednesday 8–9 PM (adapting your own systems), Alternate Sundays 9–10 AM (international-friendly). Plan for 60–90 minutes per session plus 30–60 minutes of prep. We can arrange alternate times for a new cohort.

Active participants ($2,997/year) meet over Zoom every week, submit trading goals, review progress, and receive personalized advice. You get lifetime access to all Small Group Coaching recordings (not just your cohort) and access to My Sage Advisor, our live knowledge base in a chat-style interaction using only Owl Group data. Observers ($997/year) access all session recordings at their own pace plus My Sage Advisor, without live participation.

Active coaching guides small groups of similarly trained people toward process improvement using Owl Group systems and techniques. You should be familiar with Owl Group concepts, for example as taught in the Foundations Course. If you do not have that level of knowledge, consider signing up for Observer status and enrolling in the Foundations Course (contact us for a bundle discount).

Setup/Signal/Entry is Dr. Long's three-gate trade filter. The Setup defines the market conditions required (e.g., a specific MACD Season on the right timeframe). The Signal is the specific pattern or indicator trigger within that setup. The Entry is the precise execution rule once the signal fires. All three gates must align before a trade is taken. This prevents impulsive entries and ensures every trade follows the system.

The core methodology can be applied with any charting platform that supports MACD, moving averages, and basic indicators. Many OGT students use TC2000 for charting. Dr. Long provides TC2000 layouts configured for his frameworks. The Daily Trader Briefing and learn concepts are accessible through any web browser — no software required.