Um just for the record im not a plumber oh gawd no! Im a UA Steamfitter

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Hahaha, just a guess. I was a bit off!
Steve i wish i knew a 10th of what you did so i hope when i ask a question in the future you reply because i do value all input..
This statement needs as asterisk.
*Steve knows quite a bit about fitness. Don't consult with him for anything else! Well mountaineering... he knows quite a bit about that. And fishing. But besides those three things... that guy's pretty stupid.
what would you suggest for free weights at the gym when you dont have a work out partner there steve?
Still use free weights if you're comfortable with form. Any exerciser who's starting to lift weights should start super conservatively. And when they do start adding external load to the various movements, they shouldn't be failing.
By failing, I mean true muscular failure where you fail midway through a rep and either need assistance or let it come down onto you.
Failure is primarily a neurological phenomenon and doesn't mean much at all in terms of muscle growth. So I don't see much a reason to hit failure in the context of optimizing body composition.
I actually like Michael Tuchscherer's RPE scale and use it with all of my distance-based clients to control intensity. It looks like this:
10: Maximal, no reps left in the tank at end of set
9: Last rep is tough but still one rep left in the tank
8: Weight is too heavy to maintain fast bar speed but isn’t a struggle; 2–4 reps left
7: Weight moves quickly when maximal force is applied to the weight; “speed weight”
6: Light speed work; moves quickly with moderate force
5: Most warm-up weights
4: Recovery; usually 20 plus rep sets; not hard but intended to flush the muscle
An RPE below four isn’t important.
For most strength work, I like people to stick between 7-9. And that's only when they're 100% comfortable with the movement pattern.
I'd also suggest doing as much work as possible inside of a squat rack so that you can adjust the safety pins accordingly. And don't be afraid to ask for a spot.