I have been involved in bodybuilding for over 30 years and therefore feel infinitely qualified to advise you on the items you will need for bodybuilding training.

First I will cover the basic equipment needed by someone who is going to a commercial gym to train. By the way, it is my recommendation that anyone who is serious about bodybuilding go to a gym. You will progress much more rapidly and have access to all the best equipment plus you have the added benefit of the environment and the possibility of acquiring a training partner.

The basic equipment you will need for weight training starts with a sturdy pair of shoes. I prefer the shoes made for weight training or a good cross training shoe. DO NOT buy the shoes with the gel in them. When training legs with heavy weights I have blown the gel right out!

Next you will need comfortable shorts, or if you prefer sweatpants. The important thing here is flexibility. You do not want something tight and constricting. You may opt to wear something like under armor tights underneath for support which are very stretchy but you outerwear should be loose.

You shirt should also be loose, again you may wear underarmor if you choose, but you want to have a loose shirt like a T-shirt or tank top that will allow you freedom of movement. As you progress and become stronger you may elect to wear a power suit on heavy lifting days if you gravitate towards powerlifting.

I recommend you wear nothing on your head as this can cause over heating and in my experience is conducive to headaches. To take care of the sweat, bring a towel. It is also good gym etiquette to wipe your sweat off the equipment you have been on.

You will definitely want a good weight belt if you intend to train seriously at all. Squats and deadlifts should be at the core of a beginners routine and should be used in some form all throughout your life so invest in a good weight belt. When I first started the only thing available was the leather weight belt, now other materials are available and may be more comfortable.

I personally do not wear gloves during training as I prefer to build the calluses and toughen up my hands, however if you are concerned about calluses or you don't have a very good grip gloves may help you.