The Framework
Every module in the course sits inside one of five phases. None of the phases have a fixed length. Moving to the next one is a decision the participant makes on their own, ideally alongside a professional.
Ground State
Before any change to activity, this phase asks the participant to simply describe where they are right now. What tires them, what feels stiff, what time of day feels best. No new movement is introduced here. The point is to write a clear starting sentence before adding anything to it.
Signal Mapping
This phase builds a personal vocabulary for sensation. Participants practice distinguishing general fatigue from sharp discomfort, and ordinary stiffness from something that feels like a warning. The goal is not to reach conclusions but to get better at noticing and naming what is happening.
Micro-Loading
Here the course discusses, in general educational terms, how very small increases in duration or effort tend to be easier to evaluate than large ones. A short walk extended by a few minutes gives clearer feedback than a sudden change in intensity. This phase is conceptual rather than prescriptive.
Rhythm Building
Attention shifts from single sessions to patterns across weeks. The material explores why consistency, even at a modest level, is often discussed as more informative than occasional higher-effort sessions when someone is still building trust with their own body.
Integration
The final phase looks at folding movement back into ordinary daily life rather than treating it as a separate project. It also encourages a check-in with a physician or physical therapist to review how things have gone and to discuss what, if anything, comes next.
These five phases describe a way of thinking about pacing, not a fixed program to complete. Some people spend a long stretch of time in Signal Mapping. Others move through Micro-Loading and Rhythm Building together. There is no expected duration for any phase, and moving backward is treated as ordinary rather than a setback.