(Link to 60 second video of me explaining this topic):
There is NO "best" rep range for muscle growth.
Your ideal rep range on an exercise depends on how many reps you can do within a close proximity to failure with the weight you have available to use for that exercise.
When it comes to building muscle, there is NO single magic rep range.
It's not 5-8.
It's not 8-12.
It's not 12-15.
But, all of these rep ranges work great for building muscle. Yet none of them are the magic pill.
There is, however, a broad, general rep range that is usually recommended as being most effective for the goal of muscle building.
That rep range is 5-15. Some would even say it's 5-20.
So how many reps should you do per set?
Don't get your panties in a wad and lose sleep about it.
Base your rep ranges off of the equipment you like using or have available to use.
If you have limitless weight plates, barbells, a bench, and a squat rack, you'll likely gain well for a very long time doing 5-8 reps per set. But, if you prefer doing more reps on barbell exercises, do more reps with the barbell exercises, keeping in mind, of course, that the weight will have to be decreased (this is not a bad nor a good thing. It's just a different thing).
If you have access to some basic isolation machines, cables, and dumbbells that go up to 90 or 100 pounds, you could probably start out doing 5-8 reps per set. But eventually, you might get too strong for 5-8 reps to be challenging on some exercises. In which case, bump up to 8-12 or 10-15 reps per set.
The key is not selecting some magic rep range between 5-15 reps. Any rep range in that 5-15 range works.
The key, INSTEAD, is to use a rep range that allows you to get within 0-4 reps from failure each set with the equipment you're using.
This is why I like the dumbbell or kettlebell example to explain this. Initially, 50 pounds might be tough for 5 reps. Eventually you'll be able to get 7-8 reps per set with 50 pounds. At this point, you could increase weight OR increase the targeted rep range to keep your intensity (effort) high.
3 years later you may be strong like bull. Suddenly 90 pounds (the maximum dumbbell pair you have access to) is easy for 2-3 sets of 8 reps. You feel like you could get 10-12 reps per set. Well, friend, you have your answer. Increase your targeted rep goal from 8 to 12 and stick with those weights until you're getting 12 reps on the chosen lift for 2-3 sets while maintaining 0-4 reps in reserve.
Whatever might you do when THAT becomes easy?
The way I see it, you have options:
1. Increase the rep range/target rep range from 8-12 to 10-15 or 12-15 reps per set, giving you more runway to progress with your 90 pound dumbbells.
2. Buy heavier dumbbells.
3. Switch to a different exercise variation that is more challenging with the weights you have available. For example, if you were doing flat dumbbell bench press, switch to incline dumbbell bench press or single a dumbbell bench press.
I hope this makes sense and eases all of our minds about rep ranges.
To review:
Pick the exercises and exercise equipment you enjoy using and that you have access to using (regularly).
Take each set relatively close to failure.
Select a rep range somewhere between 5-15 or 5-20 reps. You could simply stick with your 5 rep max weight until it becomes your 15 rep max weight. For some this would be incredibly boring while others would relish the challenge maximizing reps without needing to change weight selection frequently. There's no wrong answer.
Increase weights within your chosen rep range...
OR...
Increase reps with the weights you have available while keeping your reps in reserve (RIR) and/or rate of perceived exertion (RPE) equal to maintain intensity and progressively overload without needing infinite amounts of weight or feeling like you MUST use barbells or gym machines, even if you (a) don't enjoy training with that equipment or (b) don't respond well to using those pieces of equipment or, finally, (c) don't have access to those pieces of equipment.
Finally, you can reset and rebuild with different, but similar, exercise variations within your preferred rep range.
For me, it's easy to train with anything because I don't have a preferred rep range other than the simple fact that I like doing reps of 5 or more but despise doing reps greater than 15. Anywhere in the 5-15 rep range feels great for me, and, sometimes, I'll switch rep ranges just to change the stimulus and keep things interesting for myself. Using different rep ranges throughout a training career might help bust some strength and size plateaus while you're at it.
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