The little-known workout that keeps Warriors subs ready to go

The beat of Quality Control’s “Hellcat” reverberated throughout Oracle Arena’s north tunnel just outside the Warriors locker room following a recent home win.

However, the tunes weren’t in celebration of the victory, but a signal of the conclusion of another cardiovascular activity: a quick postgame training session featuring Nick Young, Patrick McCaw, and Kevon Looney.

The tunes and the routine have been a constant for the players in recent years.

The group, which usually consists of various bench players, including JaVale McGee, Jordan Bell, Young, McCaw, Looney and sometimes starting center Zaza Pachulia, typically run a circuit workout session following games to keep in shape during the season.

“We don’t usually get a lot of minutes and [the team] is going to need us when guys are out so we do it to make sure that we stay conditioned,” McGee said.

The circuit workouts typically consist of a 15-minute routine that includes treadmill and weightlifting exercises, usually in 30-second intervals.

The routine started last season when Looney, then a second-year player, would go through a pregame routine consisting of running sprints along the baseline with team trainer Michael Irr. The method of training was put in place to keep young players like Looney and Damian Jones in shape as they fought for playing time. However, over time Looney began to vie for an alternative method.

“I didn’t really like the workouts because I’d never know what type of players I would play against,” Looney said.

Looney, in addition to being the founder of the crew, is also the group’s official DJ.

However, selecting a playlist for a team with a wide range of interests can be tough. Still, the threeyear veteran can lean on experience because he’s usually the first in the weight room, Looney is typically called upon to be the team’s de facto music streaming service.

The workouts have paid dividends for Looney through the young season as he’s enjoyed career highs in points (3.2), rebounds (2.9), and minutes (11.1). In addition, McCaw, Bell, and Young have all become integral parts of the team.

The workouts even paid dividends for McGee in Wednesday’s 97-84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, as he contributed six points, two rebounds and two assists in spot duty.