Spinning tops and marubozu
You will learn to
- Small bodies vs full bodies
- When indecision matters
- Reading a committed breakout
Two ends of a spectrum
A spinning top has a small body and wicks on both sides: the move is losing energy. Like a doji, it matters after a strong run, not in a range.
A marubozu ("shaven head") is all body, no wicks: one side controlled the entire period. When it opens at its extreme and runs the other way, the Japanese also call it a belt-hold line.
Using them
- A large marubozu that closes out of a range is a committed breakout — the next lesson in structure calls this a strong break.
- A marubozu after a long run can also be exhaustion: the last buyers rushing in. Check where it is.
- Spinning tops after a run warn of a pause; one in a range is noise.
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Check yourself
1. A large green marubozu closes above a range high. What does it show?
- Indecision
- Buyers controlled the whole candle — a committed breakout ✓
- An imminent reversal
No wicks: no meaningful selling at any point.
2. A spinning top in the middle of a quiet range means…
- A reversal
- Little — indecision is normal in a range ✓
- A breakout
Indecision matters after a strong move.
Terms in this lesson
- Marubozu
- A candle with no wicks: one side controlled the whole period.
- Spinning top
- Small body with wicks both sides — losing momentum.
Practise it on real charts. In the app, this lesson comes with real examples (reveal what happened next), a graded drill and the track test. Open the Academy in NexusCore — free →