okay..I'm not gonna flame anyone and call anyone here a liar about the poundages they lift...all I ask is that you are natural and that you don't get any added help (like with a shirt)...I am doing 265 for about three or four reps...I can now do 245 for about eight reps...I am still working toward my goal of 315 by end of January...not sure if I am going to make it...I am 45 years old and 5'4, 260...(yes I know, I am obese)...but it's all in the belly...the rest of me is pretty normal...I am starting to work on the cardio part because I now realize I am too old and my metabolism has slowed to the point where I can't lose weight strictly with lifting any more...I am also up to doing dumbbell presses with 90 lbs on each arm...hoping to push that to 100 lbs by end of January also...I am up to 110 lbs dumbbells on pull ups...(no one in the gym uses them and they mostly gather dust in the corner)...so I feel prety good about my progress...I think the best thing to do in order for a natural to eventually lift 315 on preses is to kep using heavier and heavier dumbbells to strengthen the shoulders, tendons and ligaments so u can handle the heavy, heavy weights...muscle strength means nothing if the ligaments won't help you to support and stabilize the weights...you wind up getting hurt and feeling really sore and unable to go heavier.