Getting basic with some great information...

Thomas Furman of Physical Strategies has been coming out with some great blogs recently on very basic but very effective strength training programs - check out his blog...
www.physicalstrategies.blogspot.com

An article about Hugh Cassidy really peaked my interest - Hugh has a very simple template for improving the Squat, Bench and deadlift - Squat and bench 5 sets of 3 reps working to a peak or PR followed by 3 sets of 5 at a lighter weight - an even more abbreviated routine for the deadlift two sets of 8 reps then one set of 5 reps and one set of 3 reps. Wrap it up with some hyperextensions for 3 sets of 20 reps. Check out www.americanpowerliftevolution.net/1974/powertraining1.html for the complete article.

This was an article from 1974 and he advocates a simplified routine twice per week making sure to make long term progress and not progressing too fast. And if you start to get a bit stale you throw in a variety sets and reps for a couple of weeks and then back to the basic template. Hugh himself hit lifts of 800 Squat, 570 Bench, and 790 Dead-lift and was mentor to Marty Gallahger so the results speak for themselves.

Great stuff from Tom and a great look at old school strength routines.