Stretching: good or bad?

So my flexibility is utter shit, can't touch my toes with straight feet, can't do ab exercises properly. Calves, hamstrings, back, everything feels stiff. Now when I look up ways trying to improve my flexibility I always come across Jeff cavaliers vids in which he says how it's usually bad and one should try to strengthen ones muscles instead of stretching them. But how the hell will I become more flexible by that? Also my muscles already get stronger by squats and deadlifts so can't i just add a stretching routine? What did you do to improve flexibility? Should I just start stretching already, because i feel like shit with this nearly inflexible body.

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Most movements will stretch your muscles out a bit
There are plenty of reasons to do specific stretches but any static stretching should be done either after you finish lifting or at another time altogether
Stretching out right before lifting can affect your maximum strength output short term

Women like to do it so it's probably retarded

I think you're misinterpreting what that guy says aboutstretching. He doesn't say you shouldn't stretch, just that you can stretch at the wrong time and ruin your performance in the gym.

Yea i don't plan to stretch before my workout at all. Some hours afterwards however, maybe before going to bad. So would you recommend static stretching if flexibility is a big problem? Its not even about exercises, the only exercises where i really feel it are abs ones (for example leg raises), i just want to be less stiff overall.

It kinda depends. For instance I have to do some basic stretches before I can squat properly. The ideas here is not to target muscles but joints and other tissues.
Overall, it's risky to be either too stiff or too flexible, so it's best to be flexible enough so you can do movements with good form.
Try some basing yoga or stretches (read the sticky) after your weightlifting, or on an off day.

Probably, never planned on doing that anyway but sometimes it sounded like he was saying that stretching will only worsen stuff but I probably mixed some things up there.

My biggest problem are ab exercises. I don't have a problem hitting depth on a squat but if i do stuff like leg raises, or any other ab variation for that matter, I simply can't do them properly because im always bending at my hips and ankles and can't keep my legs straight.

Maintaining straight legs is actually pretty hard. You might have either or both tight hamstrings and weak quads. Try some romanian deadlift and foam roll your hamstrings. Deep lunges as a stretch might also help. For leg raises, though, just maintain your legs as straight as possible, or start with the easier variation of knee raise!

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Once again The Bugez is a wellspring of useful information. Run through these every day, even if you don't do a great job of them at first, and you'll be on top of your mobility in no time. Fact: lower back injuries are nearly always rooted in hip mobility issues. Fix your hips, keep your spine healthy.

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