Young athletes NEED rest days. This might come as a surprise because it seems your child has boundless enthusiasm for their sport.
If your young athlete is training hard for it might seem like MORE IS BETTER when it comes to getting ahead. But this is actually the MOST COMMON MISTAKE I see sports parents making.
But here’s the truth:
🧠 REST IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.
Whether your child is 10 or 16, recovery is just as important as training. Without proper rest, young athletes miss out on potential growth, performance gains, and mental sharpness, as well as increasing their risk of burnout and injury. This is why young athletes need rest days.
WHAT IS A REST DAY?
A rest day doesn’t mean being “lazy.” It’s a PLANNED BREAK FROM INTENSE ACTIVITY to allow the body and brain to RECOVER, REPAIR, and GROW STRONGER.
There are two types of rest days:
FULL REST DAYS: No structured training. Activities are low-key like reading, walking the dog, family time.
ACTIVE RECOVERY DAYS: Light movement like swimming, stretching, or a gentle bike ride to keep blood flowing without stress.
Both play a CRITICAL ROLE in any training schedule.
WHY REST IS ESSENTIAL FOR YOUNG ATHLETES
1. REST BUILDS STRONGER MUSCLES
Training causes tiny tears in muscle tissue, ligaments and tendons. Rest is when the body REPAIRS this damage leading to stronger, more powerful bodies.
🏋️♂️ No rest = no growth.
2. REST PREVENTS INJURY
Overuse injuries like Severs disease (Achilles Apophysitis) and Osgood-Schlatters Disease (Tibial Apophysitis) are very COMMON in growing athletes athletes. Rest days reduce the constant stress on growing bones and joints, allowing them to recovery between bouts of training or competition.
⚠️ Ignoring rest = higher injury risk.
3. REST SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH
Sports are demanding, not just physically, but emotionally too. Young athletes NEED breaks to reset their minds, reduce stress, and stay motivated.
💬 Rest days might be the key to getting your child’s motivation back on track!
4. REST IMPROVES SLEEP QUALITY
Without recovery, the body remains in a high-alert “go mode.” We’ve all heard of “Fight or flight”, but the opposite of this is “Rest & Digest”. With too much training comes too much stress, meaning the body isn’t shifting properly from “Fight or flight” to “Rest & Digest”. This can impact the ability to switch off and get appropriate sleep, crucial for growth, memory, and energy levels.
💤 Well-rested kids perform better in school and sport.
HOW MANY REST DAYS DOES MY CHILD NEED?
For athletes aged 10–16, we recommend:
- 1–2 FULL REST DAYS per week
- At least one ACTIVE RECOVERY DAY (especially during intense match periods)
- 8–10 hours of quality sleep every night
If your child is feeling sore, tired, or moody, it might be time for a break.
SIGNS YOUR young athletes NEEDS REST DAYs
Look for these red flags:
- Always feeling tired or grumpy
- A drop in performance
- Trouble sleeping
- Complaints of sore muscles or joints
- Loss of motivation or enjoyment
These are all signs their body is saying: “I NEED A REST.”
PARENTS: YOU SET THE TONE
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that MORE TRAINING = MORE PROGRESS.
But in reality, it’s about SMART TRAINING, which includes rest.
💡 “One step back for two steps forward” that’s how rest works.
Make rest days a NON-NEGOTIABLE part of your weekly routine. Support your child’s long-term development by prioritizing health and recovery just as much as practice.
GET OUR FREE RECOVERY CHECKLIST
Hopefully now you understand that young athletes need rest days! Want to make sure your child is resting properly?
Download our The Train Smarter Scorecard and get:
- A printable weekly training schedule planner
- Simple Scorecard to assess your child’s recovery habits
- Simple guidelines for sleep, hydration, and nutrition
👉 Click here to download The Train Smarter Scorecard
Or book a FREE 30-minute consultation to see how our Foundations Program balances training and recovery for lasting results.
