Vageliss is the guitarist of Wolfheart and Full House Brew Crew.
He’s a technical player who can shred and headbang for 75 minutes straight without breaking a sweat.
He’s also a former competitive strongman, kickboxer with a black belt, and the guy who thinks squats are boring because “people don’t see your legs anyway.”
Behind the riffs, Vageliss has competed at a high level in combat sports and strongman, pulled 290kg deadlifts, and approaches touring like it’s a recovery week.
In this Gym Rock Crew Interview, Vageliss breaks down why deadlifts prove who’s strongest, how lifting heavy weights makes him fearless on stage, why he lost six kilos on tour, and why training with friends beats watching someone deadlift 500kg on social media.
Deadlifts prove who is the strongest man
Vageliss’s favorite exercise is the deadlift.
Not just because he’s good at it… I mean his personal best is 290 kilograms.
But because it’s the most practical movement for touring life.
Grabbing things. Carrying gear. Moving fast. Lifting overhead.
He talks about why pulling movements matter more than squats, why he finds leg work boring, and how being strong off-stage translates to everything he does on tour.
Plus his take on the Jeff Nippard powerbuilding program that changed his entire approach to training.
Former kickboxer and strongman competitor
Vageliss wasn’t always just a guitarist.
He competed in kickboxing and boxing, placing third in Greece and earning a black belt.
Then he switched to strongman because he loves competing and hates doing things he’s not good at.
He talks about his fast-twitch muscle fibers (like Mike Tyson), why CrossFit would literally kill him, how he had to stop fights early because of his endurance, and why he focuses on one thing at a time instead of trying to be good at everything.
He’s not competing anymore, but the competitive mindset stuck.
Touring is easier than training
Most musicians struggle on tour.
Vageliss? Tour is his recovery week.
His training routine is so intense that when he stops lifting, his body gets better and better.
Everyone else is exhausted after two weeks. He’s fresh the entire month.
He shares why he sometimes pushes harder before tour knowing he’ll rest on the road, how he approaches training splits, and why listening to your body matters more than following a strict weekly plan.
Plus his strategy for losing six kilos on tour (which he admits was probably the worst idea, but he tested his willpower and made it happen).
Lifting heavy makes you fearless
For Vageliss, heavy lifting is about more than physique.
It’s about facing something that scares you and coming out a winner.
When you do that two or three times a month, you start feeling better about yourself more often.
You stop worrying about technical problems on stage. You stop stressing about things that might go wrong.
He talks about playing sick, throwing up on stage, performing in high-altitude cities where you can’t breathe, and why being strong mentally matters as much as being strong physically.
Plus the ritual he does with Full House Brew Crew before every show (hint: it involves slapping).
Face to face beats social media
Vageliss encourages people to train with others.
Not because watching someone deadlift 500kg online is motivating… it’s not.
But going head-to-head with a friend who lifts 10kg more than you? That pushes you.
He talks about why powerlifting teams work, how competitive nature drives progress, and why comparing yourself to the best doesn’t help.
But comparing yourself to someone slightly better does.
He also shares his take on the music industry getting healthier, why he thinks some musicians train “cute,” and his dream training partner.
This conversation with Vageliss was very interesting
Vageliss doesn’t hold back about competition, mental toughness, and why lifting heavy prepares you for everything life throws at you.
Click here to watch the full interview
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