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If you had the right partners, training protocols, and adequate facilities, given enough time can everyone climb 5.14?

I think only people that can climb 5.14 can answer that.

I think that a certain amount of genetic predisposition kicks in somewhere in the 13s.

No matter the amount of training, someone with a natural barrel chest and a -5 ape index will never climb 5.14

Just an example.

I think most would say that everybody could climb 5.12. I think that most people could make it to 5.13, if all they had to do is train and do not have to worry about money and other life issues... But, to make it to the 5.14 level, I would think you would need some good genetics and other natural talent.

It is kind of like wondering if everybody could make the Olympics in the 100 meter dash? I am sure there is a time that most can make with a lot of commitment, but I think the ones that make the Olympics, have to thanks genetics for some of their success.

I think most 5.13 climbers could work the shit out of a 5.14 line for months or years on end and bag it eventually especially if it's a fitness route without insane boulder problems. However I don't think every 5.13 climber that climbs a 5.14 can become a solid 5.14 climber like Adam that consistently sends insane routes with wicked hard moves. That takes some mutant strength/talent/technique that I don't feel is trainable.

Agreed.

patho wrote:I think that a certain amount of genetic predisposition kicks in somewhere in the 13s.

No matter the amount of training, someone with a natural barrel chest and a -5 ape index will never climb 5.14

Just an example.

Tim Deroehn has climbed 514. he is small of stature with T-Rex arms...

I think anybody can climb 514, provided that "anybody" is decently young (or their body is used to lots of climbing) and they want it more than ANYTHING else in their life.

What is decently young to you? Tim isn't (by my definition), although he looks really young.

i think it has more to do with how ready your body is to put stress on it over an extended period of time. a 25 year old with little athletic background would be "older" in this case than someone in their thirties who had been climbing for years.

but for the sake of an argument, i think anybody below 40-ish, that already knows how to climb 513, can with the time and training, bump it to the next grade. after 40, it would definately still be possible, just more difficult....

Nearly anyone can climb 5.14 given enough time and training. The more I climb harder (at least for me) routes the more I realize that they are actually not that hard and that any person should be able to hold the holds. This is especially true at the red.