Any thoughts on this? Just doing squats, bench press, and deadlifts? All in one workout, 3x a week. Only one working set. What type of volume is this good for? Strength increases? Not hypertrophy, right?

http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100170467

Your Power Trio
By the Editors of Men's Health
Men's Health

Powerlifters focus on just three exercises (the ones you see here), but they still manage to train their major muscles and move thousands of pounds in a single workout.

"The key is pushing yourself on each lift," says Mike Robertson, C.S.C.S., a strength coach in Indianapolis.

How to do it: Start with two light sets of squats, resting for 90 seconds in between. Next, load the bar with a weight you can lift only six times with your best effort. Perform five flawless repetitions, then rest for 2 minutes. Do the same for each of the other two exercises. Do this routine three times a week, with at least a day of rest between sessions.

Barbell Squat
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and hold the barbell across the back of your shoulders with an overhand grip. With your back naturally arched, bend at the hips and knees until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Then return to a standing position.
http://images.rodale.com/image/mh/0709_bbellsquat_200x200.jpg

Bench Press
Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grab the bar with your hands more than shoulder-width apart, and hold it over your chest. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together. As you lower the weight to your chest, pull your elbows toward your sides. Pause, then push the weight back up.
http://images.rodale.com/image/mh/0709_bpress_200x200.jpg

Deadlift
Stand with a bar on the floor in front of you so it just touches your shins. Push your hips back and grasp the bar with your hands just outside your calves with an overhand grip. Keeping your back straight and chest up, drive your heels into the floor and stand up. Then lower the bar back to the floor.
http://images.rodale.com/image/mh/0709_deadlift_200x200.jpg

I don't know how effective two warm-up sets + one set of 5 would be. That might not be enough volume for most people.

Also, using the powerlifting example is kinda misleading. While they do compete in the squat, bench, and dead, those are certainly not the only exercises they perform.

I don't know how effective two warm-up sets + one set of 5 would be. That might not be enough volume for most people.

Also, using the powerlifting example is kinda misleading. While they do compete in the squat, bench, and dead, those are certainly not the only exercises they perform.

True, but this is also MSN Health. Most of the articles there deal with just getting people off the couch.

Although Rippetoe's program only has one working set of deadlifts and also has deadlifts performed on the same day as squats.

Any thoughts on this? Just doing squats, bench press, and deadlifts? All in one workout, 3x a week. Only one working set. What type of volume is this good for? Strength increases? Not hypertrophy, right?

Without rows, I wouldn't do this. The deadlift is not really quite enough of a balance for the bench press. Stick in bent over rows of some sort and it's not the worst thing in the world. Or even pullups would help.

As to what you get from this workout it would depend on what sort of state you are in to start with.

True, but this is also MSN Health. Most of the articles there deal with just getting people off the couch.
In that case, I would definitely recommend more volume. If a person's just starting out, one working set of 5 will probably not do much for them. I would think more sets/reps would help learn form as well as get the tendons and joints accustomed to lifting weights.
Although Rippetoe's program only has one working set of deadlifts and also has deadlifts performed on the same day as squats.
Rippetoe's program also has about three times the volume, balances some of the benching with rows, and has vertical pushing/pulling in the forms of pull-ups and military press. I don't think it's an accurate comparison. :)

Powerlifters focus on just three exercises (the ones you see here), but they still manage to train their major muscles and move thousands of pounds in a single workout.

I'm not sure what kind of baloney this writer is trying to sell, but I've never met a single powerlifter who only does these three lifts in his/her workout. Personally, if your in even half decent shape, I would bet this kind of program would stall on you faster then you could say boo