Jackhammering for beginners

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So we're finally going to put in a driveway, thereby necesitating a gate. In lava. On a previous thread, someone advised that it is easy enough to rent a jackhammer and dig the holes yourself- seems reasonable. But is it really that easy, for a couple with no experience, in their early fifties (but in good shape) to operate one of these? Being both cheap and of the "well how hard can it be" school of thought, I'm leaning on giving it a go. Advice?