“You get more for your money now than 15 years ago – high-tech features and programs and heart rate control.” — Jay Garfall, Fitness Depot

From the most popular equipment to customized colors and flooring, here’s how to make your home gym fit your home style.

Widely considered to be the best bodybuilding flick ever made, Pumping Iron traces Arnold Schwarzenegger’s road to winning the 1975 Mr. Olympia title. Lifting weights has come a long way since the “Gubernator” celebrated his win by smoking a joint on camera.

For starters, dad’s weights are no longer relegated to a corner of the garage. In fact, a space-saving trend toward eliminating bulky weight racks and big, cumbersome pieces of equipment has moved everything inside.

Secondly, you don’t have to train like Mr. Olympia to achieve your fitness goals, and experts say a few well-balanced pieces of equipment can help you get there. Whether you’ve got limited space or room to spare, two Valley home gym experts have done the heavy lifting to help you plan a home gym.

Equipment
If you’re converting a 10-by-12-foot bedroom into a home gym, space may dictate the type of equipment you have. Ron Rhodes, Arizona regional manager for Tempe-based Gym Source, recommends purchasing a piece of cardio equipment, a compact cable crossover trainer, a bench and a set of “selector” dumbbells that can adjust weight with a simple click. Your tab for quality equipment will run about $4,500.

Jay Garfall, commercial manager for Fitness Depot in Scottsdale, says fold-up treadmills also are an option for the space-constrained in exchange for some stability.

If you have the luxury of building a larger room from scratch, Rhodes offers these tips:

• Identify the most important pieces of equipment and estimate the amount of space you’ll need. Then give yourself room to grow. “Are there other pieces you’re going to add later? Plan your space so you don’t outgrow it in a year or two,” he says.

• Think ahead on wiring for everything, from TV and radio to cable or satellite needs.

• Consider access. If you’re purchasing commercial-grade treadmills and ellipticals for a second-story workout room, talk to your contractor about when and how to get your fitness equipment into the room.

Entertainment systems and compact ellipticals are in vogue.

What’s Hot
If you’re down to the nitty gritty on what to buy, here’s what’s moving off the showroom floors.

• Treadmills and ellipticals. Garfall says treadmills and ellipticals are the top sellers, and modern creature comforts are causing their popularity to soar. “You get more for your money now than 15 years ago. Today, you can get a 20-inch width on treadmills and high-tech features and programs and heart rate control,” Garfall says. Make sure you get to try it before you buy it. Does it sound quiet? Does it feel stable?

• Home gyms. Not to be confused with the room you’re designing, a home gym can also refer to a popular, all-in-one cable exercise machine that allows for bench presses, rowing action, pull-downs, leg extensions and other strength and balance exercises. “They are so much more compact now. For a long time you needed at least 7-by-7-feet of space,” Garfall says, adding that 5-by-5-foot compact home gyms are common now.

• Stationary bicycles. Garfall sells 20 recumbent bikes for every one upright bike. “Recumbent bikes are a great way to burn more calories. You’ll stay on them longer because you’re so comfortable,” he says, adding that the bigger seat offers more support for your back and glutes.

Meanwhile, Rhodes carries a virtual reality upright bicycle that can be hooked up to a television, placing the rider into virtual reality courses. Riders can race against themselves and even enter a virtual reality video game. “It’s really fun. You’ve cycled for 20 minutes, burned calories, and the time flew because you were all wrapped up in this video game,” he says.

As with all pieces of electrical exercise equipment, check manufacturer warranty. If it’s just a one- to two-year warranty, Rhodes cautions that’s a reflection of the manufacturer’s confidence in the product.

Interlocking rubberized pads can protect your floor from equipment.

Flooring
For the average home gym, Rhodes recommends several different flooring options that will both protect your floor and create an aesthetic appeal.

• Interlocking rubberized flooring. This looks like connected puzzle pieces and comes primarily in black. “With interlocking flooring, the cleaning is something to be concerned about,” Rhodes says. To avoid mold, use a damp mop rather than a soaked mop.

• Rolled rubber flooring. Health clubs use this because the 4-foot rolls, if laid properly, create more of a seamless look. Again, black is standard, but Rhodes says customers can go up in price to get custom colors such as tan or terra cotta.

• Carpeting. Some customers choose industrial grade carpeting with equipment mats to protect both from sweat and wear and tear.

• Solid floor surfaces. While Rhodes discourages setting equipment on wood or tile floors, if that’s the flooring you’ve got, equipment mats or protective foam footings underneath your equipment can protect your floor.

Extras
You’ve chosen your equipment and flooring. Now it’s time for the fun stuff. Here’s a quick tour through some of the extra touches available.

• Entertainment. Whether you’d like one TV with surround sound or personal viewing screens on each piece of equipment, Rhodes says the right entertainment will keep you coming back for more. “Entertainment is really important. When it comes down to it, fitness is hard work. Something to take your mind off of what you’re doing is a huge component to enjoy your workout,” he says.

• Custom colors. If industrial black isn’t the look you’re going for, consider customizing your equipment colors to match paint or artwork. Rhodes says Cybex, for example, will customize its frame color and upholstery for a $250 fee.

• Aesthetics. From paint to mirrors to spa-like bathrooms complete with his and hers “cubbies,” you can avoid the dreaded black and gray fitness room. In fact, if you’ve got the budget, a good interior designer can consult with you on the touches that will make your home gym fit your home.