Bench pressing and deadlift on even days, squat and pull up on odd days. Is this all I need?

Question

I recently read an article in Men's Journal:

[A] guy who hasn’t trained in a long time, if ever, will get stronger faster on the simplest program of squats, dead lifts, and presses, three times a week.

and it has changed my views somewhat on what I should be doing in the gym. Basically the author claims that those 4 exercises are basically all I need to get stronger and buffer and that all the gym equipments are bad since they focus on a single muscle set. I'm resolved to follow his method, is this the right way to go?

Answer 1

You might have additional needs to address specific imbalances or mobility issues, and I'd do a standing press instead of bench, but deadlift/squat/pull-up/press is a great basis for a minimal strength training breakfast. It's a fine approach. If you follow that program well, with good form, using near-maximal weights, and get good food and sleep, you'll get much stronger. If need be, you'll add or change exercises in a few months.

It's also important to keep in mind the caveats he puts on this recommendation:

It’s true that you cannot do the same workout forever; you’ll go stale, and then you’ll go crazy, and then you’ll quit. It’s also true that the stronger you get, and the closer to your genetic potential, the more you have to mix in new lifts and switch up the numbers of sets and reps you’re doing, just to make a little gain each week, or even each month.

...[C]oaches like Shaul throw in the Olympic “quick lifts” — the snatch, the clean-and-jerk.... When you’re ready to add muscular endurance, it’s all about body weight: push-ups, pull-ups, chins, dips, and sit-ups.

This simple formula is 90 percent of what you need to know

NB: 90%. Not 100%. But for the vast majority of generally fit people looking to get stronger, yes, "squat/deadlift/press/pull-up heavy 3 days a week" is the shape of the best approach.

Sidebar: I also like the minimal program of clean+press/clean+front squat/deadlift (done as one set, being forced to switch to the next exercise as one adds weight), plus pull-ups. It adds an exercise, power cleans, which help develop strength into power for the purposes of athleticism.

Answer 2

I fully agree with the approach of sticking with the basic strength building exercises and working out 3-4 times a week. I would highly recommend getting the Starting Strength book by Mark Rippetoe (http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki). He focuses on strength more than endurance or muscle size.

The real answer is, what are you looking to do? what are your goals? If you're looking to get in great/general health, than yes, this is a great approach. If you're looking to loose weight you need to also focus on nutrition. If you have a specific sport/hobby that you perform (swimming, cycling, etc.) you probably want to modify your program with the focus on your specific interest. Write down your goals, stay with an approach (it could take 8-12 weeks to see improvement). Good luck.

Answer 3

This depends on what you mean by even and odd days. If you're having it as even workout days and odd workout days, and are including enough rest days in between, then sure. But if odd means days 1/3/5 of the week and even means days 2/4/6 of the week you're not giving yourself a chance to recover.

Those 4 exercises aren't necessarily all you need, but they are a very important foundation. If you're not doing any of them and are doing other exercises instead, you're probably not getting the results you could be getting (unless you've got a particular reason for being unable to do squats, deadlifts, pullups or presses, in which case doing the next best exercises would give you the best results you could get).

While the 3 workout per week schedule is popular, and is way better than the 5-6 workout per week schedule, I don't think it's necessarily that ideal. I'd suggest 2 workouts per week or even 3 workouts every 2 weeks instead.