Triangular Moving Average (TMA)
The Super-Smooth Cousin That Weights the Middle Like a Bell Curve
Imagine taking a regular Simple Moving Average (SMA), smoothing it again, and giving extra love to the prices right in the middle of your look-back period. That's the Triangular Moving Average (TMA) in a nutshell - a double-smoothed beast that's calmer than a zen master in choppy markets. It creates those lovely, flowing waves on your chart, filtering out the random jitter while still following the big trends. Perfect for traders who hate false signals and love clean, reliable lines.
How TMA Gets Its Groove - The Double-Smooth Magic
TMA isn't fancy math from space - it's straightforward:
- First, calculate a regular Simple Moving Average (SMA) over period n.
- Then, take the SMA of those SMA values (another SMA over roughly n/2 periods, adjusted for the triangular shape).
The result? Weights form a triangle: low at the start and end, peaking in the middle - like a bell curve hugging the 'most representative' prices.
In practice: For an even period (say 20), it's often an SMA of an SMA. The line ends up smoother and laggier than a plain SMA or EMA of the same length.
Most platforms handle the exact weighting automatically - just slap on 'Triangular MA' and pick your period.
Here's a classic TMA overlay on a stock chart (smooth orange line hugging the trend):
And another example showing its calm nature:
Why TMA Rocks - Smoothness Without the Drama
TMA's superpowers shine here:
- Ultra-smooth: Double smoothing kills short-term noise better than most - fewer whipsaws in sideways markets.
- Middle-weighted: Emphasizes the 'core' of your period, ignoring extreme old/new spikes.
- Great trend filter: Stays flat in ranges (easy to spot chop), curves gracefully in trends.
- More lag: Trades speed for reliability - not for scalpers, but gold for swing/position traders.
Compared to EMA (quick but twitchy) or SMA (balanced but noisy), TMA is the chill one at the party.
TMA acting as dynamic support in an uptrend:
Picking Periods - Longer is Often Better
One knob: the period n (same as other MAs).
- Medium (20-50): Good balance for swing trading - smooth without insane lag.
- Long (50-100+): Ideal for big trends, dynamic support/resistance on daily/weekly charts.
- Short (10-20): Possible, but loses the smoothness edge over plain SMA.
Rule of thumb: Use longer periods than you'd use for EMA/SMA to match the extra lag. Test on your asset - steady stocks love it, wild crypto might need tweaks.
Real Trading Tricks - Where TMA Shines Bright
Simple yet powerful ways to use it:
- Trend bias: Long when price > TMA (upsloping), short when below (downsloping).
- Dynamic S/R: In uptrends, buy pullbacks to the TMA (it often bounces); reverse for downtrends.
- Dual crossover: Fast TMA(20) crossing slow TMA(50) for entries - fewer fakes than with EMAs.
- Range detector: TMA goes flat? Sit on your hands - market's chopping!
Pair with RSI/MACD for confirmation - TMA for direction, oscillators for timing.
TMA spotting clean trends and bounces:
Another view with price respecting the line:
The Pros, Cons, and Classic Pitfalls
The Wins
- One of the smoothest MAs - minimal false signals in noise.
- Excellent for identifying true trends vs ranges.
- Available on most platforms (TradingView, MT4/5, Thinkorswim).
The Gotchas
- Extra lag - misses quick reversals; late entries/exits.
- Useless in very short-term or hyper-volatile setups.
- Needs longer periods to shine - not a one-size-fits-all.
Your TMA Setup Checklist
- Match period to timeframe: longer for higher TFs and trend trading.
- Confirm with higher timeframe or volume/momentum tools.
- Risk wisely: Stops beyond recent swings or TMA ± ATR buffer.
- Backtest like crazy - see how it handles ranges on your favorites.
Key Takeaways
TMA double-smooths data with middle-heavy weights for buttery curves and low noise.
Trades responsiveness for reliability - fewer whipsaws, clearer long-term trends.
Awesome as trend filter, dynamic support/resistance, or crossover component.
More lag means pair it with faster tools and avoid choppy markets.
Tune periods longer, test thoroughly - a well-placed TMA can make trends pop while keeping fakeouts at bay. Stay smooth and trade happy!
Triangular Moving Average (TMA)
The Super-Smooth Cousin That Weights the Middle Like a Bell Curve
Imagine taking a regular Simple Moving Average (SMA), smoothing it again, and giving extra love to the prices right in the middle of your look-back period. That's the Triangular Moving Average (TMA) in a nutshell - a double-smoothed beast that's calmer than a zen master in choppy markets. It creates those lovely, flowing waves on your chart, filtering out the random jitter while still following the big trends. Perfect for traders who hate false signals and love clean, reliable lines.
Table of Contents
How TMA Gets Its Groove - The Double-Smooth Magic
TMA isn't fancy math from space - it's straightforward:
- First, calculate a regular Simple Moving Average (SMA) over period n.
- Then, take the SMA of those SMA values (another SMA over roughly n/2 periods, adjusted for the triangular shape).
The result? Weights form a triangle: low at the start and end, peaking in the middle - like a bell curve hugging the 'most representative' prices.
In practice: For an even period (say 20), it's often an SMA of an SMA. The line ends up smoother and laggier than a plain SMA or EMA of the same length.
Most platforms handle the exact weighting automatically - just slap on 'Triangular MA' and pick your period.
Here's a classic TMA overlay on a stock chart (smooth orange line hugging the trend):
And another example showing its calm nature:
Why TMA Rocks - Smoothness Without the Drama
TMA's superpowers shine here:
- Ultra-smooth: Double smoothing kills short-term noise better than most - fewer whipsaws in sideways markets.
- Middle-weighted: Emphasizes the 'core' of your period, ignoring extreme old/new spikes.
- Great trend filter: Stays flat in ranges (easy to spot chop), curves gracefully in trends.
- More lag: Trades speed for reliability - not for scalpers, but gold for swing/position traders.
Compared to EMA (quick but twitchy) or SMA (balanced but noisy), TMA is the chill one at the party.
TMA acting as dynamic support in an uptrend:
Picking Periods - Longer is Often Better
One knob: the period n (same as other MAs).
- Medium (20-50): Good balance for swing trading - smooth without insane lag.
- Long (50-100+): Ideal for big trends, dynamic support/resistance on daily/weekly charts.
- Short (10-20): Possible, but loses the smoothness edge over plain SMA.
Rule of thumb: Use longer periods than you'd use for EMA/SMA to match the extra lag. Test on your asset - steady stocks love it, wild crypto might need tweaks.
Real Trading Tricks - Where TMA Shines Bright
Simple yet powerful ways to use it:
- Trend bias: Long when price > TMA (upsloping), short when below (downsloping).
- Dynamic S/R: In uptrends, buy pullbacks to the TMA (it often bounces); reverse for downtrends.
- Dual crossover: Fast TMA(20) crossing slow TMA(50) for entries - fewer fakes than with EMAs.
- Range detector: TMA goes flat? Sit on your hands - market's chopping!
Pair with RSI/MACD for confirmation - TMA for direction, oscillators for timing.
TMA spotting clean trends and bounces:
Another view with price respecting the line:
The Pros, Cons, and Classic Pitfalls
The Wins
- One of the smoothest MAs - minimal false signals in noise.
- Excellent for identifying true trends vs ranges.
- Available on most platforms (TradingView, MT4/5, Thinkorswim).
The Gotchas
- Extra lag - misses quick reversals; late entries/exits.
- Useless in very short-term or hyper-volatile setups.
- Needs longer periods to shine - not a one-size-fits-all.
Your TMA Setup Checklist
- Match period to timeframe: longer for higher TFs and trend trading.
- Confirm with higher timeframe or volume/momentum tools.
- Risk wisely: Stops beyond recent swings or TMA ± ATR buffer.
- Backtest like crazy - see how it handles ranges on your favorites.
Key Takeaways
TMA double-smooths data with middle-heavy weights for buttery curves and low noise.
Trades responsiveness for reliability - fewer whipsaws, clearer long-term trends.
Awesome as trend filter, dynamic support/resistance, or crossover component.
More lag means pair it with faster tools and avoid choppy markets.
Tune periods longer, test thoroughly - a well-placed TMA can make trends pop while keeping fakeouts at bay. Stay smooth and trade happy!
Related Terms
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