I actually do not subscribe to the theory of jumping into the manual blocking fire as a new player.
Manual blocking takes a long time to learn, and if you decide to go the route of the 2H/pole as a complete newbie expect to get consistently and immediately destroyed by the majority of the playerbase. No one wants to get murdered continuously a few seconds into every fight, people will just quit the game for something else.
Instead I recommend being a shielder if you are new to the game and want to participate in melee, that way you can get a feel for the timing of swings and at least can participate a little more in fights. As Rhaelys said getting an understanding of footwork is very important, and who knows you might even be able to get a few kills!
If you insist on going 2H/pole starting out I strongly recommend stacking strength and having a build like 30/9, something to absorb a bunch of blows.