Get ready to meet the social media superstar, D.C.! With over a decade of experience in the industry, this content creator has left an indelible digital footprint with a whopping three-quarters of a billion video views to his name. D.C.'s social media wizardry has earned him partnerships with over 200 companies and has paved the way for him to excel in other roles, such as social media management and user-generated content creation.
But D.C.'s talents don't stop there. This social media phenom is currently partnered with none other than sports giant Under Armour, showcasing his prowess in brand collaboration. And that's not all; D.C. also happens to be a fierce competitor on NBC's hit television show, American Ninja Warrior.
With such an impressive resume, it's no wonder why D.C. has become a household name in the world of social media and beyond. Follow along as we take a closer look at the life of this dynamic content creator and social media maven.
Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to have a passion for fitness?
A. Well let’s start with my real name which is DiCarius Banks. I don’t know why, but I never liked my name. Now I embrace it! I grew up in Wheeling a small town in West Virgina. I was in foster care growing up sometimes not in the best environment, but I always found my solace in sports. My first love being baseball and skateboarding. I’ve played/competed in 12 sports since then.
The first time I touched weights was my freshman year of high school during football season. At that time i was a scrawny little 145 pound kid. I started working out consistently seeing results of me gaining muscle and strength. After that I was hooked and never looked back.
That passion for fitness helped me receive a scholarship to college playing football and rugby. Currently I compete on the tv show American Ninja Warrior. I’ve been a certified Personal Trainer and Strength and Conditioning coach working with people from all walks of life including stay at home moms, NFL, Businessmen NHL, NBA, college athletes, children, and the elderly!
Q. How do you stay motivated and consistent with your fitness routine?
A. I stay motivated and consistent with my workout routine because I want to live until I’m 100 years old and no better way to do that than keeping my fitness and wellness in check. Fitness is so ingrained into my life it’s like brushing my teeth I would be lost without it. There’s no better feeling than pushing myself to limits and crushing through them.
Q. Can you walk us through a typical day in your life, including your daily exercise and diet regimen?
A. A typical day for for me includes waking up, drinking a big glass of water, and heading to the gym. I’ll usually take a banana and a protein bar with me to much on before starting and sometimes some pre-workout.
I’ll get through my workout then I’ll go shoot some content. After that come home have a massive protein smoothie and I’ll start to edit videos. I’ll usually make a breakfast burrito an hour or so after that which will hold me for some hours. I’ll eat lunch around 1-2:30 which usually includes some type of protein and carb and for dinner it’s always up in the air. One night I might have a large pizza the other a fish dinner with broccoli and rice. This works for me because my metabolism is fast and I move my body often.
Q. Can you share with us a fitness goal you recently accomplished and how you achieved it?
A. A personal fitness goal of mine was to travel each month of the year and collab with other fitness creators from similar or different backgrounds. So far I’m 3/12 and not slowing down anytime soon. When I set my mind to something there’s nothing that will stop me from achieving it. This goes all the way back to when I was 18 and a Chi ever my very first goal.
Q. How do you handle the pressure and criticism that can come with being a public figure in the fitness industry?
A. I handle it very well I have one of those “it is what it is attitudes” and there’s not much that can phase me. As I mentioned earlier I like pushing my body to its limits so I come up with very creative sometimes dangerous workouts to challenge myself. Most times I post these workouts and they go viral. I’ve seen 1000’s of negative comments and not one has slowed me down. I’m a professional at what I do and do what I do to inspire people that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Q. How do you balance your personal and professional life?
A. I balance them well. I like to keep a fine like between the two, but currently I’ve branched out to incorporating more of my personal life into my business because my main goal for everything that Is to inspire. By giving more of myself helps my audience relate to me more helping me get one step closer to fulfilling my purpose.
Q. How do you keep yourself updated on the latest fitness trends and research?
A. Honestly I just hop on TikTok and within minutes I find everything I need. I’m in the fitness community/algorithm on there so all it shows me is exactly what I need to help me excel within my craft. I’m also big on listening to podcast so anything new surrounding fitness I find it there. A couple of ones I like most are the model health, mind pump, and Joe Rogan.
Q. How do you engage and interact with your followers?
A. Im big on accomplishing goals or pushing my body to the limits. I put that on display to inspire other people to do the same. By doing that it creates organic engagement between me and the people that follow me.
A lot of times people will send me a message and ask me some kind of question about what I did because it sparked their curiosity. I post consistently so I’m always talking to anybody that engages with my content. There’s more im going to start doing to engage even more, but this is what I do for now.
Q. How important do you believe mindset is to achieving your goals?
A. I’ll take you back to when I was 16. I was removed from a foster home and placed in another. It was a big adjustment for me, but it worked out. I was placed with aunt Tracy who instilled courage, love, and hope. On top of all that she believed in me.
Before my senior football season started I wrote down a list of 8 goals I wanted to accomplish for the season. Now at the time I wasn’t the greatest football player I didn’t even have a starting spot. By the time the season was done I accomplished 6 of my 8 goals and was the best person in the state at my position.
When I made this list I made a promise to myself that day in and day out I will work to achieve each and every one of them. I went into every practice, every rep, every play, and every game with this chip on my shoulder to achieve these goals because prior to this I never believed in myself. After I accomplished the 6 goals from 8(2 goals out of my control) I knew I could accomplish anything in this world If I put my mind to it.
Mindset is everything, but you have to be equipped with certain tools to make it work including disciple, consistency, and a work ethic. #jusswaitonit
Q. What are some of your upcoming projects or plans that you're excited about?
A. I am excited about competing again this season on American ninja warrior and making it even further than I did my previous seasons. Also very excited to continue pushing my body to its limits and landing more brand deals though my content creation.