I can't box model worth a darn, but I do fine with spline modeling. Either way an easy way to get started understanding concepts is to make a legwarmer for a figure. If you box model, start with a cylinder and squish it until it fits the leg. If you use splines, make a bunch of rings around the leg, scoot the points until they lay just above the leg mesh, then skin them. For either one, don't cap the ends of the tube and you've got a legwarmer. Then you just need to chop it into two groups to match the thigh and shin, and you can bring it into poser and rig it - very simple rig. Going through that process will help you figure out what your own personal work flow should be, which kind of modeling feels right to you, etc. If you can post a picture of the kind of thing you're trying to make, as said up above, folks can propose some different methods. Not as good as a phone call or a webex session from someone teaching you, but maybe it'll help...