Is less more?

I am a mini disciple of Tim Ferris, the author of Four Hour Work Week and the Four Hour Body. His basic principle is to do the minimum amount of work to get the maximum amount of work. One of his arguments/theories (Mike, be prepared to throw this back into my face as another example that I am a CrossFitter at heart) is that people exercise way too much for the results that they are getting. He has hacked  the code for doing 10 minute workouts that give him the same results as hour long ones. In one deadlift workout, he does about 10 reps over 5 sets and calls it a day - although going back and forth to the gym for a 10 minute lift seems kind of dumb.

I typically lift three times a week for a 45-minute workout (six exercises, four sets of 10 each), which has gotten me an acceptable level of strength. In the last few weeks, as I have tried to play catch up in running as I return from an injury, I have dropped the weights from thrice to twice a week and actually feel stronger in the workouts with the extra days off in between. I lifted today with only a one day break and didn't feel as good as measured by bench pressing 200 10 times rather than 12. My weight has held about the same (176-178) with the extra day of running each week so I am going to try this approach for awhile. This obviously has the inevitable hint of heading to CrossFit type workouts. This would not make me a hypocrit - I anm skeptical about CFE, not CF.

I am debating doing some of the CrossFit open workouts if they are doable from my apartment - e.g. burpees until you die, Cindy, a god forbid they program a run) but I will definitely not do it if it's a fancy Olympic lift. Takes too much skill.