The good thing about 5x5 is that you start with minimal weights - like an empty bar - and spend your first couple of weeks training with "easy" weight. This time is really for you to learn the movements. There's a wealth of information out there on how to do these movements properly. Injury is always a possibility, but if you start light and progress steadily, the risk of it is substantially diminished.

A coach is a great resource, but a) most trainers in gyms are not strength coaches, and range from actively harmful to wonderful, and there's not really any way for the novice to know which they are, and b) legit strength coaches are expensive. I'd recommend self-study and starting lightly before a coach, personally, but if having a coach is the difference between you lifting and not lifting, get the coach.

Alan Thrall has 3 really good beginner videos on the S/B/D movements:

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs_Ej32IYgo

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYREQkVtvEc

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYKScL2sgCs

Also check out the JTS pillars series. JTS are legends in powerlifting, and these videos can really help tune up technique.

* https://www.jtsstrength.com/pillars-squat-technique/?v=7516f...

* https://www.jtsstrength.com/pillars-bench-technique/?v=7516f...

* https://www.jtsstrength.com/pillars-deadlift-technique/?v=75...

There's also https://www.reddit.com/r/formcheck (and r/fitness and r/stronglifts5x5) which can be valuable resources for getting help fixing particular problems.

Valid concern, but at the same time, if you start slowly, watch videos, record yourself and review your form, and listen to your body you'll be fine. Barbells are psychologically scary, but nobody worries about hiring a coach when they start running or playing rec soccer or whatever, even though those things tend to be more injury prone than lifting. Not to discourage you from getting coaching, but if you want to start just start.

It's kind of funny. I've seen people afraid to try lifting a 20kg barbell in a controlled, slow movement, even though they don't have any fear at all about picking up their nephew or lifting a bag of dogfood.

If you can find a coach and that will help alleviate your fears, do it.

I work out in a "group personal training" setup where there are generally 5-8 folks lifting at a time, usually performing the same lifts on the same days, but all at different paces and levels. And we have a coach that helps with programming and offers assistance, critique, and timely doses of motivation or ridicule.

Valid concern but with preparation and also with a coach and also listening to your body, it shouldn’t be a fear. Injury is going to happen, you could be walking down the street and hurt your ankle.

The most important thing is working on form, which you don’t have to do with heavy weights. But for this a coach totally helps because they can pin point exactly where you’re messing up.

Also, get the bible on basic barbell lifting, "Starting Strength", and read it cover-to-cover:

https://smile.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Tra...

You can really benefit from hiring a coach ro start, or can prevent injuries.