Method guide · Progress through phases
Shake down 5-4-3-2-1
Use for a short shared rhythm with movement, imagined movement, counting aloud and stillness treated as equal choices.
- People
- 1–40
- Base procedure time
- 4 minutes
- Recording
- No record
Purpose: Begin together; Build working relationships.
English guide
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How this method works
Reduce movements from five repetitions to one to create a safe shared rhythm. Participants choose movement, imagining movement, saying the counts aloud or staying still. Move the left arm, right arm, left leg and right leg in that order five times each, then reduce to four, three, two and one. Do not make movement size or speed uniform. If anyone signals pain or dizziness, stop everyone’s counting aloud. Finish still in a pain-free position. Do not record who chose movement, imagination, counting or stillness. Do not use this where non-moving participation and resting cannot be treated equally.
Phase schedule
Minutes are cumulative from the start of the base plan, not a live timer. Read scaling for any additional time. Phase controls do not advance automatically.
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- Choose movement, imagination, counting or stillness0–1 minutes from the start (1 minute)
Action: Choose. Participation: Everyone with safe spacing.
No record
- Move four safe body parts five times each1–2 minutes from the start (1 minute)
Action: Shake. Participation: Everyone with safe spacing.
No record
- Reduce to four and then three in the same order2–3 minutes from the start (1 minute)
Action: Reduce. Participation: Everyone with safe spacing.
No record
- Reduce to two and one, then stop safely3–4 minutes from the start (1 minute)
Action: Stop. Participation: Everyone with safe spacing.
No record
Facilitation steps
- For 1 minute, explain that people use only body parts they can move, and may also participate through imagination, counting aloud or stillness.
- For 1 minute, move the body parts that can be moved safely five times each, in the order left arm, right arm, left leg and right leg.
- For 1 minute, use the same four-part order with four repetitions each, then three each.
- For 1 minute, reduce to two and then one in the same order, and come to rest in a pain-free position.
If something changes
If
Even one person indicates pain, dizziness or breathlessness during movement.
Then
Stop everyone’s counting aloud. Let the person choose sitting, resting or leaving. If symptoms persist and the person wants it, connect them with the venue’s first-aid or emergency contacts.
If
Before starting, at least one person is not moving one or more limbs.
Then
Let them choose one safe body part, imagined movement, counting aloud or stillness, and treat it as equal participation.
If
At least one row cannot maintain one arm’s length of space on both sides.
Then
Switch that row to small seated hand or finger movements, or counting aloud only.
Preparation
Materials
- One shared set of number cards: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
- One shared set of choice cards for movement, imagination, counting aloud and stillness
- One shared card showing the venue’s first-aid and emergency contacts
Room and setup
- Enough spacing to avoid collisions even when seated.
Adjust for people and time
For 1–40 people, work simultaneously with safe spacing. If not everyone can see the facilitator, appoint one person per row to lead counting, but do not make movement size uniform. Do not run this with 41 or more people in a crowded arrangement where people are hard to see. Separate the activity by time or space, and close each session after 4 minutes.
Safety and non-applicable situations
Treat movement, imagination, counting, stillness and resting equally. Do not require matching size or speed. Stop everyone’s counting for any pain, dizziness or breathlessness, offer sitting, rest or exit, and connect to the venue’s contacts only if symptoms persist and the person wants it. Do not record participation choices.
Manuscript's recorded references
These translate the original manuscript's source and rights claims. They remain separate from any current-page notice below; they do not establish new verification.
- Seeds for Change Facilitation Tools: Shake down 5-4-3-2-1
https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/tools
anti-copyright adaptation; changes made
- Conditions applying to anti-copyright
https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/resources
anti-copyright
Diagram, print, and video language
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Editorial provenance
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