IKMF's Head Instructor
EYAL YANILOV

Eyal Yanilov (born in 1959) studied Krav Maga under the personal tutelage of its founder, Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld),
and has served as the Grand master's closest assistant and foremost disciple since the early 1980s. Active in this field
since 1974, he is now its most senior instructor. Mr. Yanilov is the only individual who carries the highest grade ever
given by Imi (Master level 3/Expert level 8) and holds the unique “Founder's Diploma of Excellence" (This diploma was
given only to two persons, the other - one of Eyal's students, Mr. Darren Levine, Expert level 6, of the United States).

Eyal Yanilov started his Krav Maga training with Mr. Eli Avikzar (one of Imi’s top students at the time) and soon after-
wards began to study directly with the founder himself. At an early age, Eyal was instructing at the training studio that
Imi had entrusted to Eli Avikzar, and on many occasions assisted and substituted for the Grandmaster in lessons and
preparations with students who were to be tested for grades of expert level. At a later stage, when Imi appointed him
Head of the Krav Maga Professional Committee, Eyal was responsible for preparing and updating the Krav Maga
curriculum. In this capacity Eyal had the task of imparting the new developments and accumulated knowledge, changes
in techniques, and the latest training methods to the other senior instructors.

In 1984 Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or placed Eyal in charge of preparing the complete and comprehensive series on the
Krav Maga discipline. Since then, and until the system's founder passed away in January 1998, the two were deeply
engrossed in the task of writing down the principles of Krav Maga and clarifying its various techniques.

Since directing the first self-defense instructors course for American citizens, in 1981, Eyal Yanilov has been teaching
a large number of Krav Maga and self-defense instructors courses in many countries around the world, under the
auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Education and the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF). Eyal, together with
his most advanced students who serve as local directors or chief instructors in their countries, are the key force in
spreading Krav Maga teaching throughout the world. Mr. Yanilov is currently serving as Chairman and Chief Instructor
of the IKMF, and heads the International School of Krav Maga. In this capacity, he is in charge of the development,
definition, and dissemination of the system.

Mr. Yanilov is a graduate of the School for Trainers and Instructors at the Wingate Institute for Sport and Physical
Education, and also holds a degree in Electrical   Engineering. He has spent years training fighters of elite units and
members of special anti terrorist squads, while teaching at colleges for physical education instructors.

Since the early eighties Eyal has been training different groups, in various seminars and courses, he educated all the
first generations of instructors in USA, Europe and Australia and has been teaching: ordinary civilians coming
to learn self-defense, as well as, military units, police units, executive protection personnel, special units, SWAT teams,
and other security-oriented groups in Israel, Europe, South America, Australia, Japan and the United States. Within this ,
context he specializes in improving the fighting skills and general abilities of members of these groups.

Mr. Yanilov’s main objective now is to educate future Krav Maga instructors around the world, and he always enjoys
promoting any such initiative in this direction.

To contact Eyal Yanilov - Drop him an Email