[inuhj]

I've been lifting on and off for the past 15 years. I'm currently doing stronglifts after a 4 year lull.

It is not for the beginner. Squats are difficult to do correctly and I spent about an hour watching videos before I attempted it with a personal trainer. Then I kept watching videos to improve form. It's not a simple exercise and it is easy to perform it wrong. Barbell rows are easier to learn but also easy to perform incorrectly. Bench press is pretty safe. Overhead press is pretty safe. Deadlift is worrisome but not so much at the low starting weights of the 5x5.

I would recommend watching a lot of youtube tutorials on how to do the exercises correctly. Do a complete warmup before lifting. Hire a personal trainer who is a weight lifter to make sure you're doing the exercises correctly. Then you can feel comfortable doing it on your own.

[omginternets]

Squats really aren't that hard to learn on your own. There's no reason a level-headed beginner can't start squatting on his own.

If you have a mirror and you start with light weights, you can monitor yourself for form. Yes, there's a bit of due diligence involved, but it ain't exactly rocket science...

That having been said, the importance of doing all of these exercises with proper form cannot be overstated.