>>141468
>>is it safe to do those things alone/do I not need someone to hold their hands in front of the bar so I don't die and if so do I ask a rando in the gym or what
As long as you don't try and lift heavier than you can reasonably manage, you'll be fine. If you feel unable to do a rep, there's no shame in (carefully) putting down the bar, taking a rest, and trying again, even if you have to unload some weight. Success isn't defined by what you start with.
>>does 5x5 mean 25? I never understood this, or does this maybe mean 5 up and 5 down? this has been confusing me ever since I gained an interest in fitness
AxB means A sets (or "groups") of B repetitions (individual full movements of an exercise). Say you wanted to do 3x5 of push press, you'd go about it like this:
>Start with a weight you can easily manage, and do a few reps as a warm-up
>Add weight to the point where it starts being challenging, but still comfortable, and do 5 push presses one after the other
>Take a ~2 minute rest
>Increase the weight a little more, and do another 5 push presses
>Take a ~2 minute rest
>Increase the weight a little more, and do another 5 push presses
>Congratulations, you defeated!
In general, you're looking to have the final repetition of your final set be the hardest one to do. Putting to much weight means you burn out early, putting too little means you don't get enough resistance.