We had the privilege of catching up with Olympian Bobsleigh pilot, Bianca Ribi. Bianca is not only an Olympian, but a working firefighter in Calgary and former captain of an Ivy League collegiate team.
Yeah... she's kind of awesome. 😎
Read on to learn about her training and recovery routine, how she keeps moving, and some interesting home gym hacks (ready to train for bobsleigh in your squat rack? It's harder than it looks.)
1. Considering soccer, firefighting, and bobsleigh, how have your workouts differed? If you had to pick one go-to exercise to stay ready for all three, what would it be?
I have covered such a wide array of exercises, movements, and training, given my sport and profession. I definitely think they all test me in different ways and require me to be very well-rounded. I think the one go-to exercise to stay ready for all three would be squats.
"I use my barbell and squat rack almost every workout."
Between climbing stairs with 150 lbs of equipment on my body, pushing a 375 lb bobsleigh in a max-effort start, or preparing to change directions on a dime, my quads have to be strong and capable of handling everything and anything I throw at them.
2. When you’re training at home, what’s your go-to exercise and piece of gym equipment? Are there any underrated tools that have surprised you with how much they’ve helped your training?
Building on the importance of quad strength, squats are my go-to, and I use my barbell and squat rack almost every workout. There are so many different exercises and muscle groups that this one piece of equipment allows me to train.
It seems simple, but there is so much power in simplicity. The most underrated piece of equipment, I would say, is dumbbells. They allow me to do almost anything, both lower body and upper body. I very much appreciate how versatile they are.
3. Elite soccer, piloting a bobsleigh, and serving as a firefighter demand high-pressure decision-making and leadership. How do the teamwork and stress-management skills from these roles overlap?
Being a part of a bobsleigh team or a fire crew both demands a lot from me. As a bobsleigh pilot, my teammates are relying on me not only to be completely focused to drive them to victory but also to keep them safe.
If I’m not on my A game, people could get hurt. The margins in bobsleigh are so narrow, with crashes or wins happening in hundredths of a second by inches. There’s no room for error. That’s very similar to firefighting.
I work in teams where we all have our own roles and responsibilities that each affect the members of the team. If I don’t perform my role correctly or quickly, that affects the next person.
Much like bobsleigh, failure can be dangerous. That high-stakes mentality keeps me sharp to be my best version for myself and my teammates.
4. With all the explosive training, high-pressure situations, and long hours, how do you recover and take care of your mind and body to stay at the top of your game? Are there any recovery routines or habits you swear by for both physical and mental performance and longevity?
While bobsleigh and firefighting complement each other so well, there is the reality that both are incredibly physical professions. I don’t have many off days. I push myself every day. I have to be very conscious that I’m recovering properly.
"The most underrated piece of equipment, I would say, is dumbbells."
I rely on my programming, which is carefully crafted to make sure I’m not pushing too hard. Programming that strategically combines firefighting and bobsleigh to make sure I’m training for both simultaneously. This allows me to rest for both.
We’ve all heard about how important sleep is. That is very much true for me. As someone who constantly has to manage insomnia, I do everything I can to set myself up for a successful sleep. This includes a temperature-controlled mattress, blackout blinds, and a temperature- and humidity-controlled room.
I definitely take sleep more seriously than most, but it is the most advantageous and accessible recovery tool. This not only rests my body but my mind, keeping my mental health in as good shape as my body.
5. Everyone hits a wall in progress and performance sometimes. What’s your favourite way to shake things up and keep progress moving forward?
I don’t struggle much to keep my workouts interesting just by the nature of my sport and my career. But with that being said, I have played many sports in my life, and that’s because I love sport.
I try to mix up my workouts by playing other sports. The most recent sport I’ve been trying is pickleball. I feel that keeping my body moving in different ways is great for my overall physical health, but also my mental health, so I can continue to enjoy my sport.
"It seems simple, but there is so much power in simplicity"
6. Between soccer sprints, bobsleigh starts, and firefighting drills, what’s the weirdest or most creative at-home workout hack you’ve tried that actually worked?
The most creative at-home exercise I’ve done to encompass training for multiple sports or professions would be setting up the safety bars on my squat rack to about hip height.
I put the barbell against the rack, resting on top of the bars, then attach resistance bands on each end back to the rack. I’ll stand behind the rack, line up in my bobsleigh starting position, and explode into the bar.
The bands allow the bar to slide on top of the safety bars. This mimics a bobsleigh start. A bobsleigh start is a powerful and explosive movement that mainly loads the quads and glutes—muscle groups that are so important for firefighting as well.
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Bianca makes one thing very clear: greatness isn’t complicated; it’s committed. Squats. Dumbbells. Bands. Good programming. Serious sleep. Dedication. Repeat.
No magic tricks. No secret Olympic-only equipment. Just a barbell in a rack, a willingness to push hard, and the discipline to recover just as hard.
From exploding into a bobsleigh start in her squat rack to hauling 150 lbs of gear up a stairwell, Bianca proves that “basic” equipment in the right hands is anything but basic. It’s powerful. It’s versatile. And it gets the job done.
We’re incredibly grateful she took the time to share her routine (and her squat rack hacks) with us.
If you’re inspired to level up your own training, whether you’re chasing gold medals, crushing beer league, or just trying to become the strongest version of yourself, start with the foundation.
Grab a rack. Load a barbell. Don’t skip sleep. We’ll handle the steel. You bring the work ethic.
