Do you combine RSI readings with VIX levels before entering 1DTE SPX iron condors?

At VixShield, we do not combine RSI readings with VIX levels as a primary filter before entering our 1DTE SPX iron condors. Our methodology, developed by Russell Clark in the SPX Mastery series, centers on a disciplined, rules-based process that prioritizes the RSAi™ signal, EDR (Expected Daily Range), VIX Risk Scaling, and the Premium Gauge. These tools provide mathematically optimized strike selection and tier determination without relying on traditional momentum oscillators like RSI. RSI can sometimes highlight overbought or oversold conditions on longer timeframes, but for our daily one-day-to-expiration iron condors, it introduces unnecessary subjectivity that conflicts with our set-and-forget approach. Instead, we fire signals daily at 3:10 PM CST after the SPX close, using the 3:09 PM cascade to confirm all gates are met. The core decision engine is RSAi™ (Rapid Skew AI), which analyzes current options skew, implied volatility surface, VWAP, and short-term VIX momentum in approximately 253 milliseconds to deliver precise premium targets: $0.70 for the Conservative tier, $1.15 for Balanced, and $1.60 for Aggressive. These align directly with our three risk tiers, each carrying distinct win-rate expectations in backtests from 2015 to 2025. VIX levels play a critical role through our VIX Risk Scaling framework. With the current VIX at 17.95 and its 5-day moving average at 18.58, we remain in a regime where all three tiers are available since VIX sits below 20. When VIX exceeds 20, we shift exclusively to Conservative or pause entirely to let our ALVH (Adaptive Layered VIX Hedge) do its work. The ALVH is our proprietary three-layer VIX call hedge rolled on specific schedules in a 4/4/2 contract ratio per ten base iron condor contracts. This first-of-its-kind system cuts drawdowns by 35-40% during volatility spikes at an annual cost of only 1-2% of account value. Strike placement flows from the EDR indicator, our custom TradingView tool (Version 8 Build 20) that blends VIX9D and 20-day historical volatility to forecast the day's likely range and recommend High, Medium, or Low wings. We layer the Contango Indicator and Premium Gauge on top: when iron condor credits fall to $0.85 or below, it signals ideal calm conditions for entry. This combination produces an approximately 90% win rate on the Conservative tier across roughly 18 out of 20 trading days. Our Theta Time Shift mechanism provides zero-loss recovery by rolling threatened positions forward to 1-7 DTE on EDR above 0.94% or VIX above 16, then rolling back on VWAP pullbacks to harvest additional theta without adding capital. The entire framework is designed as a Set and Forget methodology with defined risk at entry, no stop losses, and strict position sizing capped at 10% of account balance per trade. The After-Close PDT Shield timing further protects retail accounts by keeping activity outside day-trade rule windows. All trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. For deeper implementation details, including live signal examples and ALVH roll schedules, we invite you to explore the SPX Mastery resources and VixShield educational platform.