Rethinking Rest For Juniors

Over the years, I’ve heard many junior athletes tell me they were asked by coaches or training environments not to be seen on the golf course or in the gym.

Because they “HAVE TO REST.”

The intention is understandable:

protecting young athletes from overload.

But the real question is not whether juniors need to prioritize recovery.

It’s about what kind of rest truly serves their still-developing bodies, minds, and game.

Recovery is age-dependent.

Juniors generally recover physically faster than adults.

Their bodies bounce back quickly.

However, their nervous systems are still developing,

which means emotional and stress recovery often needs more guidance, not less.

What they typically struggle with is not physical exhaustion, 

(at least not in the beginning, that develops over time).

What they struggle with first is an over-stimulated and under-regulated nervous system.

Many juniors live in a constant state of doing, competing, performing, school pressure...a subtle fight-or-flight mode.

On top of sports, school, and performance demands, many juniors are constantly exposed to social media, screens, notifications, and endless sensory input.

Their brains are processing a continuous stream of messages, comparisons, and stimuli, which keeps the nervous system on high alert even outside training.

This digital overload adds another layer of stress,

making effective rest even harder to achieve.

And when you move someone from that intensity straight into mandatory rest,

it is rarely supportive.

Going from full speed to full stop is like slamming the brakes on the nervous system.

When the body is forced to stop,

the mind (with thoughts, ideas, to-do's etc..) also often speeds up, which can add even more stress.  And that's why "just sit still" is not really effective, to say the least ;)

The body and mind just become even more restless. In addition, because golf and training are such a central part of their lives (and identities),

many of them struggle to step away.

Mentally and practically, it is hard to stop, because they often don’t have other ways to fill that time or energy.

For many juniors, forced rigid rest doesn’t create that calming effect,

it leaves them alone with a body and mind that suddenly won’t slow down.

Parents often notice this:

When training stops completely,

their children don’t become more relaxed,

they become more restless, anxious, or unsettled.

Because nervous systems do not recover through forceful stillness.

Quality rest is not always the absence of movement.

It is intelligent activity.

Biking or walking outside,

play,

light mobility,

time in nature,

monitored strength training,

sports (outside the main sport/golf),

rhythm and music,

creative expression,

being with animals,

cooking,

and happy social connection. 

These are not “doing more.”

They are tools that help young athletes:

• release built-up stress

• regulate their nervous system

• restore emotional balance

• reconnect with their body in a different way than their sport.

However, as coaches, we are responsible not only for training,

but also for guiding recovery.

Failing to support juniors (or refer to a coach who could) through the first steps of effective recovery is, in my opinion, a bit of a lapse in responsibility. We do the best we can with what we have, of course.

Research shows that these type of activities support parasympathetic activation and improve focus, mood, and recovery.

And when juniors learn to regulate effectively, they not only feel more relaxed,

they'll perform better, train from a place of joy, and sustain their passion for the game longer.

I’ve seen juniors who felt anxious after a "mandatory rest day" regain calm, energy and spark in their step after a our 1:1 coaching sessions.

This is why I work with active regulation rather than enforced rest.

In traditional coaching, rest often means stopping. In modern performance coaching, rest means regulating.

and understanding.

Where traditional coaching manages volume,

I help manage nervous-system stability.

Forced stillness doesn’t create relaxation, 

or adaptation and longevity. 

Regulation, awareness, and education do. As a reminder:

Rest isn’t something athletes are born knowing how to do.

It’s a skill that can be taught and practiced,

just like any other aspect of performance.

When we tell juniors to rest,

to "sit still",

are we helping them feel more relaxed, 

or simply more uptight, stressed and restricted?

Are we helping to guide recovery,

or asking them to push against their biology?

ps. most of these principles also apply to adults ;)

If you work with junior golfers, are a parent, or are curious about supporting young athletes’ recovery and performance, check out these articles below.

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Keep Strong!

Liesbeth Pauwels