New York Post

OBJ ‘always’ trying to get better: trainer

- By PAUL SCHWARTZ

Wondering what Odell Beckham Jr. was doing this spring when he was not working out and practicing with the Giants? Have no concern about the fitness or the zest for improvemen­t shown by the superstar receiver.

“He’s a 24-7 guy, man, he literally eats, sleeps and loves the concept of getting better,’’ Jamal Liggin told The Post on Monday. “He’s like, regardless of what he’s done previously, he’s always trying to get better.’’ Describing Liggin as Beckham’s personal trainer is not an adequate characteri­zation. Liggin is known around NFL circles as something of a guru, called a “movement specialist,’’ able to apply individual­ized drills and techniques to add to a players’ speed and explosiven­ess. He has an impressive and growing list of NFL clients and has worked with Beckham for four years.

While the Giants gathered for 10 OTA practices, Beckham was working with Liggin in Los Angeles, in the gym and on the beach, streamlini­ng Beckham’s body and talent with hand-eye coordinati­on drills and an assortment of exercises designed to turn an already-gifted athlete into something more.

“I want to help them enhance what they already can do but at the same time, a lot of times their imbalances are neglected,’’ Liggin said.

Liggin played high school football in Oakland, where Marshawn Lynch was a teammate, and ran track at Alabama State. He has worked with Giants players Justin Pugh, Devon Kennard and Sterling Shepard; Beckham is all-in with what Liggin preaches.

“He’s a very detailed individual,’’ Liggin said. “The thing about him, he’s one of the hardest workers I have, next to Marshawn Lynch. The detail he puts into his work, it shows.’’

Liggin works on specific aspects of a player’s job descriptio­n. For a receiver such as Beckham, Liggin can help him get back to full accelerati­on after stopping to make a catch. He also uses what has widely been acclaimed as his “tennis-ball drill’’ to enhance hand-eye coordinati­on and balance.

The goal, Liggin said, is to complement the training regimens put forth by the teams. “My job is not to go against the grain,’’ he said.

Beckham was not with the Giants this spring and thus missed time on the field working with Eli Manning. He did not get a head start playing in concert with Brandon Marshall and rookie tight end Evan Engram. This week’s three-day minicamp will help get Beckham back in the groove with his teammates before the start of training camp July 27.

Much of what Beckham got from Liggin in their month together this spring will show up on the field, even if the “movement specialist’’ is not one to take credit.

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