Highlights
- Free, in-platform Training Camp (Beta) designed for futures trading beginners.
- Short, step-by-step video lessons that explain how trading works.
- Guided by Topstep Senior Performance Coach John Hoagland (Hoag).
- Hands-on practice using a simulated trading environment with no real money at risk.
- Focus on trading fundamentals, risk management, and disciplined decision-making.
- Learn how futures traders plan, execute, and manage trades.
- Clear introduction to the Topstep trading path, from practice to funded accounts.
Getting started in trading can feel intimidating.
There’s unfamiliar language. Charts can feel confusing. And early on, it’s hard to tell what actually matters versus what can wait. For many people, that uncertainty is what keeps them from ever starting.
Training Camp was made to close that gap.
What is Trading Camp? A free futures trading program for beginners
Training Camp (Beta) is Topstep’s® free, in-platform learning experience designed to help you understand how trading actually works and how disciplined traders build skill over time.
It’s made for:
- New traders who want a clear place to start
- Experienced traders who want to refresh their foundation and tighten execution
Short, practical videos walk you through the platform, core tools, and common trading scenarios so you can learn the process step by step.
Training Camp is guided by Topstep’s Senior Performance Coach, John Hoagland (Hoag), who has spent more than 35 years trading futures and coaching traders at every stage. His perspective is simple: most traders aren’t held back by ability. They struggle because they try to do too much, too soon. That’s why Training Camp focuses on the fundamentals first, so you can build skills that hold up over time.
Futures trading for beginners
Training Camp begins by answering the questions every new trader asks:
- What am I looking at?
- What actually matters on this screen?
- What decisions do traders really make?
From there, it follows the same progression real traders go through.
You learn what futures are and why traders choose them. You see how price moves and how charts tell a story. You practice placing trades, not to chase results, but to understand the flow of planning a trade, executing it, and managing risk.
You can move through Training Camp in one sitting or lesson by lesson. You can trade alongside it, revisit sections later, and apply what you learn immediately. This builds understanding first, so your decisions are based on process, not emotion.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s learning to trade with control.
🎥 Take a look inside Training Camp
Why preparation matters more than winning in futures trading
Many traders think confidence comes from winning trades.
It doesn’t.
In reality, it comes from knowing your plan before you enter a trade and what you’ll do if it doesn’t work.
Training Camp is built around that mindset. Instead of just watching videos, you can interact with the platform and practice in a trading sandbox. You can practice placing trades, buying and selling on the charts, and get familiar with how everything works, without risking real money.
Along the way, you learn why risk is defined before entry, how stop losses and targets remove emotion, and why protecting your account matters more than one good day. You also learn when not to trade. How choppy markets, news, fatigue, and frustration can quietly derail execution.
These aren’t restrictions. They’re guardrails that help you stay in the game long enough to improve.
Futures trading skills that carry forward
Training Camp builds the core skills traders rely on at every stage:
- Reading futures markets and price movement
- Executing trades with a plan
- Managing risk before and during a trade
- Developing discipline that supports consistency
Each lesson builds on the last. You’re not just learning what to do. You’re learning how traders think. These are the same habits traders carry forward as they progress, adapt, and grow.
How training camp fits into the Topstep path
Training Camp also shows you how trading works at a prop firm like Topstep.
At Topstep, you don’t start by trading your own money. You pay for a chance to prove your skill in a simulated environment. When you pass, the firm moves you into a funded account where you can take payouts, keeping up to 90% of the profits while Topstep covers the losses.
Inside Training Camp, you’ll see how:
- The Trading Combine® helps traders practice consistency and risk control
- Those same habits carry into the Express Funded Account, where traders work toward real payouts
- Sustained discipline leads to the opportunity to trade in a Live Funded Account using Topstep’s money
Seeing this early on helps you understand what good trading looks like and what to focus on as you move forward. You’re building skills with intention, developing habits that support growth at every level.
Learn more about how to become a Topstep Funded Trader®.
Learn futures trading first. Apply what you learn. Grow from there.
Training Camp reflects how we believe traders should develop:
- Learn without risking your life savings
- Build consistency before scaling up
Topstep has funded thousands of traders and paid out millions by focusing on one thing: helping people who trade become better traders through learning by doing. This is where better habits, clearer decisions, and steady progress toward funding are built.
The question isn’t if you can do it. It’s how soon you’ll start building the habits that support it.
Your first step is simple. Take a free course and see how easy it is to start trading with futures.
Create your free Topstep account and start Training Camp today.
Frequently asked questions
What is Topstep’s Training Camp?
Topstep’s Training Camp is a free, in-platform learning experience designed to introduce futures trading for beginners. It walks traders through how futures trading works, how to read charts, and how disciplined traders plan and execute trades, all within a simulated environment where no real money is at risk.
What is a simple explanation of how futures trading works?
Futures trading involves buying or selling a standardized contract that represents an agreement to trade an asset at a set price on a future date. Instead of owning the asset, traders focus on price movement. Training Camp explains these concepts visually so beginners understand what they are seeing on the chart and why price moves the way it does.
How do beginners start trading futures step by step?
Beginners typically start by learning how futures markets work, understanding charts, and practicing trade execution. Training Camp follows a step-by-step approach that guides traders through the platform, core tools, and decision-making process before focusing on results.
What are the risks of futures trading for beginners?
The risks of futures trading include fast price movement, emotional decisions, and poor risk management. Training Camp introduces these risks early and shows why defining risk and following a plan matter more than short-term wins.
How can I practice futures trading without using real money?
You can practice futures trading without real money by using a simulated trading environment. Training Camp includes a trading sandbox where beginners can place trades, manage positions, and learn from experience without financial risk.
What are the common mistakes beginner futures traders make?
Common mistakes include overtrading, ignoring risk limits, trading without a plan, and reacting emotionally to losses. Training Camp highlights these mistakes and teaches habits that help traders avoid them.
Is futures trading profitable for a small retail trader?
Futures trading can be profitable for some small retail traders, but success depends on discipline, risk management, and consistency. Training Camp focuses on building these skills first so traders understand what long-term success requires.
