Ken's Do or Die to 5 Plates

[KenDowns]

A few years ago I committed to a 5 plate deadlift, which seemed very do-able then. This was in 2012 or so, and I peaked at:

Nov 2012: 455
Feb 2014: 465

Yeah, and I've only matched 465 once since then, and here it is half way through 2016.

It is time to do or die. I'm planning my entire program around the deadlift.

Background
All major life events are concluded (ha, I am tempting fate with that one), the kids are all done with HS, and I've got the home gym exactly the way I like it. Have a nice Texas power bar and a couple of bumper plates.

Strengths
A natural love of the lift, and an ectomorph's long arms.

In 2012 my trainer told me "Your body naturally favors deadlift" and when my max was about 325 he said, "You have the lower back of a 400# lifter and the legs of a 300# lifter"

My trainer also observed: "You can lock out anything you can get off the floor."

Weaknesses
Age. I'm now 50, and the floorboards are starting to creak. That's why it's do or die time.

Serious problem with habitual over-use of lower back instead of building up my legs. I could actually stand a better chance of hitting 495 if i did not correct this, if I were willing to accept the possibility of a horrible back injury, which obviously I am not willing to accept.

Technique
I've switched to narrow sumo because conventional hurts my back. If I go conventional my lower back will spasm about a week later and I'm out for at least a month.

Program
I've had amazing success with the "do whatever I feel like that day" program, which I've had running for about 2 years now.

With that program I added 10# to a bench that had been stalled for years, and repeatedly broke 3-6 rep PR's in squat (I do very few doubles and singles anymore).

But the guiding principles for "whatever I feel like" will be basically:
- Upper body days will have more pulling than pushing, to build upper back and lats
- Upper body days will have more vertical than horizontal, to emphasize standing stability and shoulders
- Lower body days will have situps (for hip flexors), upper body days will have planks
- Deadlift days will be progressions from sets of 4 one week to triples the next and doubles the 3rd week
- Squat days will be only 2 all out sets, then deadlift technique work, speed work and so forth

[KenDowns]

"All major life events are concluded (ha, I am tempting fate with that one),"

aaaaaannnnnddddd.... Dental surgery. Extremely sensitive to blood pressure changes.

I ask the periodontist, when can I lift weights? He asks, "well, do you lift heavy?" So I start describing max effort deadlifts, some people get nosebleeds, some pass out, I tend to see stars.

He interrupts, "Let's say two months."

[KenDowns]

So the periodontist said my gums are "amazing" and I can start lifting earlier than 2 months. So yesterday I got started.

And speaking of life events.
* Last child went to college - empty next
* Death in the family (not to make light, but you have to see some humor in these things)
* Even the ex-wife has left town - and I was just starting to like her.
* Became a grandfather

Nuthin to do but lift, lift, lift...

Logs to be posted later on.