Episode 952- Master Eyal Yanilov
In today's episode Jeremy chats with Master Eyal Yanilov, Chief Instructor of Krav Maga Global and a top student of Krav Maga founder Imi Lichtenfeld (pictured above).Master Eyal Yanilov - Episode 952
SUMMARY
In this episode of Whistlekick Martial Arts Radio, Jeremy interviews Master Eyal Yanilov, the head instructor of Krav Maga Global. Eyal discusses the evolution of Krav Maga and how it has become a comprehensive system that incorporates self-defense, combat, and fighting techniques. He explains the importance of principles, variations, and tactics in Krav Maga training. Eyal also shares his journey from being an electrical engineer to dedicating his life to spreading Krav Maga globally. He emphasizes the sacrifices and coincidences that led him to his mission. Throughout the conversation, Eyal highlights the unique aspects of Krav Maga and its practical applications in real-life situations. He emphasizes the importance of dealing with reality and understanding the nature of the aggressor. Yanilov also addresses the issue of fake Krav Maga instructors and the need for proper training and teaching methods. He highlights the value of faith, trust, and belief in oneself in martial arts and in life.
TAKEAWAYS
• Krav Maga is a comprehensive system that includes self-defense, combat, and fighting techniques.
• The evolution of Krav Maga involved the development of principles, variations, and tactics.
• Krav Maga is known for its practical applications in real-life situations.
• Krav Maga was developed to protect Jewish communities from anti-Semitic attacks.
• The system emphasizes dealing with reality and understanding the nature of the aggressor.
• There are fake Krav Maga instructors who teach incorrect techniques and tarnish the system's reputation.
• Proper training and teaching methods are essential for effective self-defense.
• Faith, trust, and belief in oneself are important in martial arts and in life.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:04 Eyal Yanilov's Role in Spreading Krav Maga Globally
05:13 The Evolution of Krav Maga: Principles, Variations, and Tactics
11:23 Revolutionary Changes in Krav Maga
16:21 Understanding Rhythms and Timelines in Krav Maga
19:48 Eyal Yanilov's Journey and Sacrifices
24:06 The Role of Government in Martial Arts Organizations
26:41 Building and Evolving Krav Maga Organizations
28:06 Eyal Yanilov's Martial Arts Background
Show Notes
To contact Master Eyal Yanilov: https://krav-maga.com/✅Subscribe to whistlekick Martial Arts Radio on the following platforms:
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Show Transcript
Jeremy (00:00.95)
Hello everyone and welcome it's another episode of whistle kick martial arts radio and today I'm joined by a L Yonilov today. How'd I do? Awesome awesome stick around we're gonna have a great chat I appreciate you being here if you happen to be new to what we do here at martial arts radio Please check out whistle kick martial arts radio comm every episode we've ever done We've got transcripts and links photos and videos all kinds of great stuff over there You can sign up for the newsletter you can get in all the behind -the -scenes
Eyal Yanilov (00:10.765)
Very
Jeremy (00:30.6)
All of that is free. Keep that in mind. Why do we do it? To connect, educate, and entertain the traditional martial artists of the world. Now, if you want to know all the things we do as an organization, you can go to whistlekick .com. Everything from apparel to events. just flew back late the other two days ago, just over a day ago from an event that we did. Great time. If you were there, you know. If you weren't there, well, maybe you can come to one of the next ones. So whistlekick .com.
Back to today, back to this episode. Thanks for being
Eyal Yanilov (01:07.734)
Thank you. I thought you were talking about the audience.
Jeremy (01:10.236)
well, I appreciate that being here too, but I appreciate you being here. Thanks for making the
Eyal Yanilov (01:17.932)
I'm in Israel before flying away another time, so about 200 days a year I'm outside Israel. But now I'm at home, so it's an opportunity.
Jeremy (01:24.322)
200 days. Nice. Nice. Well, I'm glad the timing worked out. I'm glad we were able to talk with you. if I'm remembering correctly, it was a friend who lives in Scotland that connected us with you. You were doing a seminar in Scotland. that make sense? Okay.
Eyal Yanilov (01:44.713)
I believe so, yes, I was in Scotland a month
Jeremy (01:48.418)
Okay, so 200 days a year, is there anywhere you haven't gone?
Eyal Yanilov (01:54.283)
Of course, yes. But we are operating in about 60 countries and I've been in most of them. Yes. So that's
Jeremy (02:04.524)
Is there anywhere you want to go that you haven't been? It's a lot of travel.
Eyal Yanilov (02:08.051)
The truth is that I have enough.
And we have such a large organization, so if I don't manage to see everyone or every country even once in two years, countries that go more than
Jeremy (02:25.696)
Yeah, yeah. And you've been at this a while, right? So maybe what we should do, we should talk about why you're traveling and how you ended up in that role. So if anybody's watching, they can see your shirt, KMG, Krav Maga Global, and what is that organization?
Eyal Yanilov (02:46.738)
Okay, so, you asked a couple of questions. So, Kavmaga Global is an organization which is spreading the knowledge, I would say the more advanced one of Kavmaga and the real one in the world as much as possible to the largest number of people as possible. People like us, people who are with high level of integrity, we are trying to find those or that those will come to us. People who need it
from self -esteem to special forces. So that's the idea. And I've been doing Krav Maga for 50 years this year and teaching, something like this. I became as a teenager, I was assistant instructor and the first instructor course with the founder that I took was in 1976. Were you alive then? 75, sorry. Okay.
Jeremy (03:42.305)
Hmm. No. No, I was what did miss me by a couple years 79.
Eyal Yanilov (03:46.057)
So this is the advantage. Okay, cool. and then, you know, things happen in life. You plan things. From the age of 10, I was sure that I'll be engineer. When I finished electrical engineering, I decided, hey, I would like to do masters in electrical engineering, but I would like to do some other stuff. So I started working with special
That was 1985. So when I finished with this, let's say idea, with the time and in 1994, I started doing only Kavmaga. Before that, it was Kavmaga, it was study, it was some other work which involved engineering and marketing and managing.
But since, you know, 94 or 30 years ago, I started spreading the system in the world. I was the closest assistant to the founder for about 20 years, close to 20 years. I just, you know, I was in the right place and time, obviously, with some capabilities, for sure, yes. And my role was to make Havmogai system.
He was a genius in giving the best solution for a specific problem and with the years he became better. And my job was to take it to show the principles, to make the training methods, to make the variations, to make it tactical and strategical and integrate everything. This was mine. So without him, I would be nothing and definitely not here either with you, at least with together.
And but let's say he bore this child and took it to kindergarten and first second grade. We are now maybe in the masters, maybe going to PhD with the Karmogon.
Jeremy (05:53.542)
It doesn't sound to me like it's a coincidence that you went to school as an engineer and then you applied those, that sort of approach to Krav Maga. You developed into a system. That makes
Eyal Yanilov (06:07.717)
Yes, yes, systematical thinking, system thinking, principles, you know, engineering, if it works, don't touch it. So whatever worked, we just did things around it, what didn't work or we found something better. We did a better thing. And like this, we developed. Sometimes there was a revolution, for example, in the in 84, we did a revolution in 87, we did revolutions.
After that, mainly evolution with the time. Make it more, let's tactical, make it more integrated. Make it three components. Initially with Imi, the founder, yes, he taught us self -defense and he taught us techniques. This is the problem, here's the solution. This is the problem, this is the solution. You can say that there's a big C.
with few islands or many islands. And then to make it a system, then we start making bridges between the islands and then bridges between the bridges, eventually put some more land. So wherever you put your leg, it's solid. So something like this, I would say what happened in our world of Kavmaga.
Jeremy (07:29.794)
You mentioned a couple revolutions, I think you said 1984 and 1987. We were at a time
Eyal Yanilov (07:36.708)
No, 1984, 1984, 1987, first rule, yes.
Jeremy (07:39.842)
84 years. We're at a time now where in a lot of martial arts, there are, there are some big conversations that could be the beginning of revolutions. What, what were the revolutionary things that happened in Krav Maga at those
Eyal Yanilov (07:58.668)
Okay, so I would say it was making, principles, showing how principles apply in the different techniques. we say now, mean, things passed, yes, or now what we are saying about what happened there is just this was the beginning, that was the beginning. Understanding the principles behind what we are doing. And back then,
Self -defense, that's what we did, and some sparring. That's what we had. Now we have self -defense, combat and fighting, third -party protection. In each, we have technical, tactical, physical, and mental, especially mental aspects, mental training, mental preparation. It's sort of a pre -amid that has four sections or four sides.
And you cannot live without one of the sides, obviously, but the mental is most important. We didn't have this back then. We didn't have third party protection back then, only a glimpse of it, very little. There were no principles, so we introduced the principles. With the principles, we had the understanding of the hierarchy within the subject in the system. What I mean is this.
For example, we have a fist as a tool, or we have a forearm as a tool. Then with this tool, you do a specific technique. The straight punch can be a specific technique. The outside defense can be a specific technique. And then this technique has specific principles behind it. This and components behind the technique. For example, in this outside defense, there's the forearm motion, the shoulder motion.
the body motion may go in the counter attack at the same time. It is sort of a basic for us. Or in the straight punch, we have the clenched of the fist, how we are opening to joints and make a straight punch, how we are turning the body, how we're shifting the weight, how we are crunching lower in the back shoulder, things like this that are increasing the kinetic chain, the impact of your strike. So this is the...
Eyal Yanilov (10:21.792)
the components within and then we started doing variations within in image times there were no variations in these defenses this is one and this is two this is three number three number four number five number six number seven like we have seven techniques here and we are
Jeremy (10:37.824)
It reminds me of Filipino martial arts, right, with the numbers.
Eyal Yanilov (10:40.948)
In a way, in a way, But sometimes they have, I'm not so familiar with this, I'm a little bit familiar, so they have different type of stabs and every stab has a number, right? Something like this. This is what I know. Yes, okay. So, so for us, it will be another, there'll be some names for stuff, but that's a straight punch. So then we have the straight punch, but then we can have the straight punch in sitting and in lying down and in movement.
Jeremy (10:53.349)
in some systems,
Eyal Yanilov (11:09.793)
and we have the left and the right and we have combinations and we have a tactic of fake and then make a straight punch. So this is where it started to go even back then.
So this was the revolution going from techniques to principles to variations. And a little bit about scenarios. Another thing that happened back then is I organized, really developed, you can say, developed and organized. there's the saying, there's nothing new under the sun, but the way it's being done and the way it's being formed is definitely somehow new.
So all the fighting tactics, we organize the fighting tactics in groups. For example, something that I can tell you is rhythm. I've never seen anybody who's doing rhythm the way we explain and work with it. If you want the example, yes, I can give you an example. So let me be like Phil Collins drumming a little bit.
Jeremy (12:10.301)
Could you say more about that? Yeah, please.
Eyal Yanilov (12:21.492)
This is first rhythm is called not connected.
Eyal Yanilov (12:28.309)
Some time passes between one and the other. Then we have, so this is a strike and then another strike. Some time passes between. So next time I'll see you, I punch you and a year after when I see you again, this with many students of mine, I punch you again. Of course you'll do defenses obviously, but a year passed. Of course sometimes a fraction of a second passes.
The next one is called natural. So this is the natural rhythm. This is the natural rhythm. The natural rhythm is when this one returns, rather close to the body, the second one goes. This is very common in almost all the martial arts. The next one is called shattered, excuse me, broken. Broken rhythm is the next one. Broken rhythm, people are talking about this,
most not doing it. The broken rhythm is this one, which means when I start recoiling the first, the second one goes. That's a broken rhythm. You have to do it with the kicks, you have to do it with a strike and a kick. We can do it with a defense and a counter attack, defense and a kick, et cetera. So it's about movement. It's not about techniques of attacks only. And then the next one is a shattered rhythm.
The shuttered rhythm is when the first one hits the target, the second one is halfway on to the target. Or to another target. So then it sounds like Monty Python.
Jeremy (14:01.25)
Hmm.
Eyal Yanilov (14:09.884)
this one, okay? So this is the shuttered rhythm. And it goes this way. Of course, the only one that I can see it a little bit being done is wing true. They've got this chain, maybe they call it chain punching, something like this. It is something but we have it in all across the board, which means with the defenses, with the attacks, with the counter attacks and with defenses, with the kicks and the punches, et cetera, et
So this is called one and a quarter for us. The broken rhythm was one and a half. This is one and a quarter. And then there's the simultaneous. Simultaneous can be two strikes at the same time, a defense and counter attack at the same time, punch and kick at the same time, hit with a stick and kick at the same time, know, these type of things. So we have five rhythms. So this is example. If you've it before, tell me.
Jeremy (15:08.035)
I've heard bits of this and what you're saying makes sense and I've trained it and I've witnessed it but as you started with, I've never heard it explained this way. It makes so much sense. It's a simplification of how it works.
Eyal Yanilov (15:21.028)
Okay, this is our, yes, so this is our, yes, so this is our one of our advantages except of the knowledge and this the explanation, the analyzing, the understanding of the situation much more, the area much more, the behaviors of the aggressor, the natural response of the trainee, these things are this is just an example.
But we have, for example, fakes. When you think about fakes, faking direction, faking speed, faking height, combinations of different fakes, or integrating different fakes. This is just an example of another family of tactics. And then we have the tactics in the self -defense that was, unfortunately, not really during image times, although we showed a of times, a couple of situations, I mean, and then things according to timeline. Do I have, you notice the OODA loop?
Jeremy (16:21.079)
I've heard the term, but please.
Eyal Yanilov (16:21.24)
It's observe, okay, observe, orientate, decide and act. It's mainly for pilots. It was designed in the US for pilots. Like they need to observe where they are, the oriented way they are, observe where they are, decide and then do something. So for us, is definitely just a piece of what we do, but...
We need to process, we need to sense because we're not only visual, we're not pilots. We need to sense what is happening, not only with the vision, the hearing, with the contact, etc. So we have a timeline for events. For example, somebody approaches me to attack me or to talk to me or whatever. Let's say something simple, approaches to attack. What I can do in the very long range? How can I prevent and avoid this?
this type of situation. What happens if I didn't identify this? What happens if it's not the very long range, only the long range? Maybe I can run away. Maybe I can throw something. Maybe I can throw a table over table. Maybe I can kick the person, you know, different distances, I can do different things. Maybe I'm sitting in a chair, I can use the chair or just run away.
Then when it is more surprising, need to do, maybe I can do simultaneous counter -attack, defend and counter -attack simultaneously. And then when I'm more surprised, can do simultaneous, I can do something else, et cetera, et cetera, until I'm very much surprised. Or let's say I'm on the way to the ground, how do I behave on the way to the ground? Or what happened if I was taken to the ground? And if the aggressor is standing or if the aggressor is tied to me.
things like this that are very, very relevant. And you can say there is a time, it's not really a line because there can be branches also. So this has been another sort of, I'm not sure it's something between evolution and revolution that we did later stages. So these are a few examples about this. And then in 87, 88, I did the curriculum of the new system, let's say.
Eyal Yanilov (18:44.985)
And so this was back then we already started teaching in the US. So US, the first instructor course for the US people was in Israel in 81. I taught it and then the guys went back. A few of them started groups, build organizations. One of them is
worldwide, although we are not in contact for many years, they even sued me once, but that's another issue. And then one or two are still active, not really in organizations, but this was the beginning of spreading Kavmaga. And then in the eighties, we understood a little bit more about the system and making a system. And in the mid nineties, I started spreading Kavmaga in the
Eyal Yanilov (19:44.514)
another sort of evolution in a way.
Jeremy (19:48.798)
Was spreading this globally part of Emi's vision? Did he want to see? Okay,
Eyal Yanilov (19:54.476)
Yeah, Immi had a dream. Yes, yes, yes, definitely, definitely. Immi had a dream that Kavmaga will be taught by everyone, but will be, yeah, will be learned by everyone. Yes. Every woman, man and young person should know how to defend themselves. But that's a dream. He didn't do it. As we say, he bore this child. He took it to the kindergarten and first few grades. He didn't do
He tried, he didn't manage. But again, some things take more than a lifetime, obviously. So I took it upon myself. And again, in the beginning, I just did it. But then there was a switch. I'll do only this. This is a mission in life. So even a mission in life, sometimes you awaken into
Jeremy (20:53.334)
When someone says that something is a mission, it suggests...
Jeremy (21:00.438)
big experiences or something, something happened that made you want to invest your life in this, especially since, you it's not like you were learning another martial art and that was your job. You were on path to be an electrical engineer. That's a very different life than this one. What happened? How does that happen? How do you make that switch?
Eyal Yanilov (21:21.876)
Yes.
Eyal Yanilov (21:30.517)
So first of all, it's several coincidences, obviously, right? So a few coincidences is one thing. Your friends and teachers is another thing. Your enemies is another thing. They're willing to sacrifice. Just to make it clear, are you married? No. Okay, so you didn't sacrifice all the marriages to all the other women yet. I got married, I sacrificed all the marriages to other people.
especially women. Today with the work and the gender politics is... So, yes. So, and if I choose to do a professional engineering, I definitely couldn't do Krav Maga the way I do. The moment I did, I chose Krav Maga to do, then I sacrificed my engineering. Practically completely. The only thing I do at home, sometimes I switch a light bulb. I switch all things like this, yes.
Jeremy (22:02.08)
Hahaha
Jeremy (22:08.726)
Yeah,
Eyal Yanilov (22:30.323)
Maybe something more, but still not much more. So this is a sacrifice. It's obvious. And then things went. I went to the special forces. I worked there, anti -terror, undercover people. I worked there for several years. Then things changed. I had enough on one hand, and they wanted to change something there with the manpower. So I finished that job. I went to...
I went to the Masters in Electrical Engineering. The laser broke down. I made a mistake in plus and minus in one of the tests. I got fed up with this after a couple of years. They didn't think that I was good enough. I didn't want to do this. I got enough. So it's combinations like this. I was head of the professional committee of the Israeli Carbong Association, the first organization that EMI built.
So I was probably number two after IMI professionally.
Jeremy (23:33.644)
How old were you at that
Eyal Yanilov (23:36.403)
I was nominated in 1987, I was 28 years old. Yes, it is. It didn't have somebody better. That's it. And then some years after, there were clashes within the organization, politics, was an association, a sport association. It was impossible to work with this organization.
Jeremy (23:40.879)
that's young for that sort of role.
Eyal Yanilov (24:06.236)
So I went out with some of my trainees, some of my students, people trained with me several years, sometimes more than. Yes, definitely.
Jeremy (24:12.706)
Can we can we talk about that a little bit the because this is something that is that happens in in some countries It does not happen in the United States and and we've had people on the show from Israel I'm trying to remember the gentleman's name who's in charge of that organization now for for the country that all martial arts are overseen By the by the country by an organization that they're
Eyal Yanilov (24:35.44)
No, no, they're not seen. No, they're not overseen. No, no, of course not. No, no, no, no, no, it's a mistake. No. Okay. So it is like this. If you want to have an organization, then you need to build an organization, like association or a company, it doesn't matter. And this goes with government. This is everywhere, right? If I want to build an association or a company, different types of company in the U .S., I need to do
Jeremy (24:40.404)
Okay, that's what I understood. All right, please correct me
Eyal Yanilov (25:04.973)
via the state, right? So it is the same thing in Israel. That's one thing. What in Israel is true, that there is a law, it's called sports law. And then if you want to teach, you have to be certified by the sport authorities. That's it, if you want to teach. Yes, yes. So then, and this is true for...
Jeremy (25:24.94)
This is what I was talking about,
Eyal Yanilov (25:33.604)
Almost all the sports, not all, but most. Okay. For example, yoga is not under this. For some reason, karma guy is not exactly correct because we don't have competition really. But let's say it is that is the situation. So you have to be authorized by a body who's authorized by the Israeli sport authorities who's under the Israeli Ministry of
education and sport or culture and sport. Sometimes it moves sometimes because of politics. So by the way, there were years that I was authorized to give diplomas outside Israel. I was the only one to give authorized diplomas by the state of Israel. So all our certificates were the organization certificate plus the certificate from the Israeli government. So then we finished this option.
So this is something that is within Israel. There are some other countries that this also happened.
Jeremy (26:41.25)
Okay, thank you. Thank you for clarifying. Okay. I forget where we were, but let's, I wanna go back. Go ahead.
Eyal Yanilov (26:49.562)
We were with the organization that's what we talked about. So I built the second organization. It's called International Kalmagaz Federation. So the first one is the Israeli Kalmagaz Association. was Israeli. The second one was international. And then also with some of my students. And again, human relations went sour a little
So I decided, and there was no way to control professionally and organization -wise the people who started with me very young and low level and became masters eventually. usually the masters stays and their students go. I decided that this will not be like this. Then I went, okay, I didn't want to stay in that one. And I built a KMG Carbohydrate Global. So this was, you you can say that I failed in the first two, I'm now in the third.
Jeremy (27:50.784)
Very rarely does someone get it right the first time when they do
Eyal Yanilov (27:54.56)
Yes, I should have listened to my wife probably. I don't know exactly what she tells me, probably.
Jeremy (28:03.072)
Wives usually know.
Prior to your involvement with Krav Maga, had you done other martial arts? Had you been interested in martial arts?
Eyal Yanilov (28:13.134)
I was interested. So this is funny because I started learning from a book of Maso Yama, Karate for Young People or Young Dragons or something, I'm not sure what the English name is, with a friend, which was maybe 10 sessions. And then he found the Kavmaga, I started the Kavmaga. And while doing Kavmaga, I did different things. So I did some other martial arts, not a lot, but I did. For example, I Judo for about two to three years.
I did something between karate and kung fu for a couple of years. I did Aikido for a couple of years. I did soft Chinese, Bagua, and some Tai Chi a little bit, more Chi Kong. I don't consider it martial art, but Chi Kong. I
When Corona started and I couldn't really move much out to Israel, I was bored. So I did BJJ. I got the blue belt with one stripe even. Lately I cannot do it because of some injuries, but I got blue belts maybe after half a year because I did know something about the ground. And then some Filipino. I did also a little bit. Also a couple of years, not very...
visually, but I did. Yes. So I do have some overview. And of course, many students of mine were high level in several martial arts, even many. So I got impressions and talking and, you know, I don't think that the sun shines for my ass, excuse me, for my French. So I listen to the people, I understand the benefits of other styles and man.
Boxing is the best in boxing. yes, obviously. So, et cetera, et we understand this. But boxing was like this once, yes, and now it's like this. And it changed. You know why? You know why it changed?
Jeremy (30:20.524)
Mm -hmm.
Jeremy (30:26.742)
Gloves.
Eyal Yanilov (30:28.692)
Why? Why to put gloves on?
Jeremy (30:31.59)
because people were breaking their hands.
Eyal Yanilov (30:34.622)
not exactly no no yes yes and no let's say before the way it moves it looks like very much like fencing so old boxing was very close to fencing yeah you look at my wife tap tap with the glove i said of spear your heart with the blade that will
knock you down with a make you a bloody nose but the chances of me hitting my knuckles in your dirty mouth when there was 100 % and there was no Colgate, no breast, no antibiotics so what will happen after three weeks gangrene, chopped hands, cannot be a boxer with chopped hands so then I need gloves that's your right, then gloves not so you will not get hurt so I will not get hurt like you said not to break the knuckles
the hands, yes, exactly. And this was the beginning. And then it came to $100 million for losing, so of course they have to be good. Imagine, $100 million for losing!
Jeremy (31:42.424)
I, yeah, I would take that fight. I would take that. I'm sure I'd lose. I'll take the money.
Eyal Yanilov (31:47.443)
I would take a fight for, yes, exactly. Exactly. Take the fight even for a million. You know
Jeremy (31:56.458)
One of the things that I find fascinating about Krav Maga is when, like a lot of other martial arts, but maybe more so with Krav Maga, we can see, you talked about the revolutions, the evolutions, this progress. And what I really appreciate about it is that a lot of martial arts, I mean, all martial arts borrow, right? They all take movements and techniques and concepts from other martial arts,
Krav Maga seems much more open about the fact that it happened. got, we got this, this came from here, that came from there.
Eyal Yanilov (32:28.553)
Okay,
It's not exactly true. It's not exactly true. So first of all, Israel, we were a bit isolated. You know, practically we are an island. Surrounded by sea and enemies. Now we have some peace processes, but that went on. But overall we are... And there's specific mentality here.
Eyal Yanilov (33:00.369)
I'm not sure we have time to talk a lot about this, but differently the subject of in his background for his background was boxing and wrestling. We never wrestled with him almost at all. We didn't really box with him. We did fighting, but look sparring like a bit like kickboxing type, Muay Thai type, MMA type. He was MMA if you think about
a boxer and a wrestler. But he was fighting in the street on a daily basis. Every day almost, for four years. Every day against the fascists. Most of the time, multiple aggressors. One time he said to me, there was no time to punch a person twice. So many enemies in that
So then he started teaching when he had a long journey, very interesting one obviously, until he reached Israel and then couple of, back then it was Palestine, couple of years he started teaching the resistance. There were already some things in the resistance, especially something called kapap, not what is now being called kapap in some people revived, let's say called something kapap now, but it is
the real thing that was initially in the defense brigades in Israel, what's called Hagana, the resistance back then. He was teaching knife fighting, defending knife attacks, swimming and lifeguarding. That's how he started in the resistance. And the resistance was the kapap. Kapap means face -to -face combat. We are joking in Kavmaga, we say, what happens if he's coming from behind?
Okay, you do face to face combat. Yes. So it was mainly with sticks. So 90 % of the work there was sticks and fitness. And we have stick attacks, defending stick, sticking a stick or this subject, couple of levels in the system. So Kapap in Kavmaga is such a relatively small.
Eyal Yanilov (35:21.261)
small section, let's say, what was practically kept up in the resistance. But, Yimmy started developing his own. And he was very good with understanding two things. The nature of the aggressor, what we call the attacker, yes, but he's not the only attacker, yes? I'm the attacker. The aggressor, understanding the nature of the aggressor, the nature of the actions of the aggressor, the reactions of the aggressor, it was very much
understanding this one and the natural response of the trainee and on this we build the techniques. So many of the techniques that he had he just built by himself. Now of course you could see similarities but it is not the same on one hand and many things were developed without having the similarity without knowing the other thing without knowing Aikido, karate, judo,
He Judo, he learned Judo here. But he did a lot of things before learning any other things, before seeing other things. And he was thinking and visualizing and experimenting. And when he was 80, he was much way, way better than he was 60. Yes, of course, not in the, excuse
Jeremy (36:35.529)
Really.
Eyal Yanilov (36:40.54)
not in the technique itself, not in the physical aspects, obviously, but that's what I want to say, not in the physical capabilities, but in understanding and giving the best solutions for the specific
Eyal Yanilov (36:59.522)
And sometimes, you know, with all the respect, and we were best friends also, he did some really stupid stuff. But he got over it. He understood that things were not suitable.
I think that I made his life very miserable in a way that he saw some things were not so good. But differently, he was in a way finding the solutions by feeling it. He felt the solutions. And many times he could feel the solution without doing
So let's say you come to him and ask, what do you do against certain motion, certain problem? He would give you the answer without doing it before, without experimenting. He felt it in the body. So was sitting by his bed. He was lying in his bed and I was, you know, we were sitting and talking. Let's say afternoon meeting. Yes. I would come to his home and he was in bed reading.
Jeremy (37:47.276)
What do mean?
Eyal Yanilov (38:17.087)
So would go to his room and sit by his bed and talk and we talk and I was discussing something. I could see it in his eyes how things click there. And he would tell me an answer or a direction or instruction while sitting. And you know, when I met him, he was 64. When I met him, I was
So when I was very close to him, let's say he was 71, I was 22. This is when we started to work together. So he was, I didn't reach yet, I'm 65 now. I didn't reach yet, I just reached the age that he was when I met him. I didn't reach the age that he was, let's say at his prime with understanding himself.
And I can tell you that this is what is happening when you are doing things so many years. You feel it, you are the spirit of it, you are entering the spirit of it. This is what is happening when you're doing something so profoundly, so many years. And any other talent, obviously.
Jeremy (39:42.741)
How long has he been gone now?
Eyal Yanilov (39:45.641)
He died in
for 26 years, 26
Jeremy (39:49.92)
a while.
Jeremy (39:54.06)
What do think he'd be saying about what Krav Maga is today?
Eyal Yanilov (39:59.145)
Well, he was amazed when already when we were in the last stage of his life when he saw what we were doing. Already then, with the principles and the variations and the tactics, he was already amazed back then. And he saw that he was the foundation, he was the ground, and he saw how we build the skyscrapers on his ground, something like this, or the pyramids on his
on his base, let's I think he would be very happy with the spreading of the system. He would be very disappointed with the fakes that are out there, the wannabes, with the people who are saying that they are doing Kavmaga and they do more or less the opposite of Kavmaga. And they are saying that they are doing Kavmaga, unfortunately.
Jeremy (40:53.954)
opposite in what way?
Eyal Yanilov (40:57.297)
They take the long route. They don't understand the problem. They don't understand the solution. They do solutions that are, let's say, the opposite than what he was doing. And they're saying it's Kavmaga. yes, people are learning, obviously. And you cannot cheat all the people all the time. But you can cheat most of the people most of the time. And this is what's happening, unfortunately.
Do know how many Kung Fu styles there are? I heard that thousands. So we are not yet in the thousands, but Krav Maga is a system. Krav Maga is a way. The way of pitching Krav Maga is part of Krav Maga. So if people are not on that highway, yes, we can be in the left lane and the right lane. We can slow down. We can change a vehicle. We can go to a motorcycle or to a old Corvette, you know, or to
new Audi or whatever, but we are still on the highway. And there people who are going on a side track to some other direction, completely opposite if you can say. So this is frustrating. And may I tell you something about this? So my students...
Jeremy (42:18.946)
Please, Because I've seen this. I've, you know, in most martial arts, you know, give it 50 years and there will be splintering, right? And it tends to get worse the further we get from the founder's death, right? So you had lots of time with Emi. So people can argue maybe, no, this was the way, but it's really hard to argue with you given that you had
Eyal Yanilov (42:26.416)
Yes. Offshoots. Yes. Yes.
Eyal Yanilov (42:37.168)
Yes. Yes.
Jeremy (42:48.898)
50, 60, 50 years with him.
Eyal Yanilov (42:51.196)
24 years with him. Yes, as a student. then, yeah, yes,
Jeremy (42:53.922)
24 years with him, okay. Yeah, I did bad math. Yeah, 24 years with him, really nobody else is gonna have a better perspective than you. So if you say this is what Amy wanted or meant or whatever, it's most people. Fair enough, fair enough.
Eyal Yanilov (43:07.152)
Or that's what I thought we meant.
I have to be honest in this one also and humble. Yes, he was humble. OK, so instructors of mine would come to me and say about a certain person or certain place that they are teaching faith, Kavmaga. And I was telling them, look, they are murderers, they are kids, are rapists, they are drug dealers. OK, big deal. Somebody is teaching. Do your best to show the people what is the
At least that's what we know. And that's it. Maybe they can punch us down in two minutes. It's not calm. Okay. And I said, what I wanted people to focus is on their best work and not to be disturbed by the fake ones. But fake ones, obviously, or the bad ones that are giving bad names. So it's not a good competition. It's a bad name and it is ruining the name.
And partly, part by some martial artists that Karmaga, name is ruined. Because they think, it's just bullshit. Because what they saw, they saw bullshit. So they think about bullshit. That's the conclusion. Anyhow, one time while talking this to one of the guys, I just recalled a fable from a very excellent storyteller from Russia named Krylov.
Ivan Kulov, if I remember correctly. This is amazing. He has amazing stories. He's 18th century, 19th century. Very much against the regime back then of the Tsar and all this. And here the story was like this. Two souls reach hell. One is a scholar and a writer and a philosopher and the other one is a criminal. And they
Eyal Yanilov (45:07.6)
being put into some pots and under the criminal there's inferno, strong fire, and under the philosopher, small fire. So the criminal is tortured and shouting for one day, for two days, for one week, for two weeks, one month, two months, consumed, gone. Was tortured for a couple of months, Under the philosopher, small fire.
One day, one month, one year, one decade. After one generation, it's of course burning like hell. And he's shouting and screaming in two or three generations. He's being, decades, whatever you call it. He's tortured and he is complaining to the chief witch Madera, why am I in this suffering while the criminal suffered a couple of weeks and that's it. She tells him.
Your poison is still on earth poisoning people. Okay. So sometimes, you know, teaching the wrong stuff is, is worse than hell. I agree with Jordan Peterson.
Jeremy (46:25.955)
That is a powerful thought. for folks who might be listening rather than watching, it doesn't seem to bother you that much, which I think says something pretty strong.
Jeremy (46:45.062)
Most of the folks that we have in the audience are not Krav Maga practitioners. fact, most of the folks we have in the audience are not any one thing. It's all over the place. And one of the questions I'll often ask is, what do you wish the practitioners of other martial arts might learn and take from Krav Maga and bring into what they
Eyal Yanilov (46:47.334)
Yes.
Eyal Yanilov (47:13.316)
Okay, first of all, we are a
Eyal Yanilov (47:19.608)
and that is going in a specific direction. Direction is deal with reality. How to deal with the confrontation, how to deal with the stress of the confrontation, with the chaos of the confrontation of event like this, I mean physical confrontation, which usually many times starts as a non -physical and then becomes violent and physical. Understanding the timeline, understanding
the tactics, understand the vast system that is built on very simple principles, very simple foundations, but became very large and very efficient. I think that people can learn from us the way
the way how to train people, how to prepare people, especially for reality. I mean, I'm not so good in preparing people for fighting in the ring. Yes. I can teach the tactics that we have. They will be very suitable and very powerful for this type of competitors in the ring or in any type of the mats and competitions for sure. But it's not aimed like this.
It's obviously that I'm, I count box as good as the boxer. But if I'm being challenged by a boxer, the main thing will be to not to fight. Obviously that's the first thing not to prevent, to avoid you in. Okay. I'll buy you a beer. I'll buy you a Coke. this, this is the first thing. And if I need to fight the boxer, I definitely, I will do all the things that he is.
not used to do and what's illegal in boxing obviously i'll try to kick i'll use a chair i'll bite his ear no i'll his nose yes whatever this this this i'll do all the the things i need in order to win this situation and not to get into in jail
Eyal Yanilov (49:46.812)
So there is so much to learn from what we do, except the technical
even the way of teaching, how to connect the different techniques. I have students of mine, for example, one of our experts is the head of our branch in Italy. started the BJJ, if I remember correctly, at the same time he started Kavmaga. So he's a BJJ black belt. And he teaches BJJ, like teaching Kavmaga.
He doesn't teach BJJ like teaching BJJ. He said the way of teaching Karmada is way, way better. You can't even compare the teaching processes and the understanding of how to bring people to the best level in the shortest time. But of course, he's teaching BJJ, but the way he's teaching is the methods that is borrowed from us. This is an example.
Jeremy (50:54.722)
That makes
Eyal Yanilov (50:57.866)
And the scientific mindset, the scientific way of thinking, the analyzing of technique, the understanding principles, I've not seen this in any other place. At least not in this magnitude. It's a glimpse of this, yes, but not in that level.
Jeremy (51:19.126)
The biggest revolution that I see in martial arts overall right now is in improving teaching methods. I'm seeing, you're ahead, but finally people are saying, how do we teach this better, right? Because you can't answer the question until you ask the question. But now a lot of people are asking the question and there are a lot of resources out there and people are open now and I think that's great. I like seeing
Eyal Yanilov (51:26.495)
Okay, so we are a couple of generations forward.
Eyal Yanilov (51:44.493)
Yes. You know that when I started doing the seminars in Europe and they were, I approached only martial artists. By the way, there was no internet back then. So we approach only martial artists. And I would give a seminar and people from all levels and all systems that were in the area came and sometimes 50, 60, 70 people in a seminar and half of
wanted to become Kavmaka instructors in the end of the seminar.
So this was the result. And it was the, there was a package. The package was, it's clear what you teach, how you teach and who is teaching. The system, the transfer and the
That's it. So that's what people saw. And many people were back then older than me, which is not so common now. And many people were really high level and even champions in their own country or in Europe or Australia, know, things like this. South America.
Jeremy (53:02.646)
What do you hope for the next generation of Krav Maga? I'm sure you hope it continues to improve and progress, but do you have specific thoughts on how that might happen?
Eyal Yanilov (53:17.599)
If I would know, I would already be there. This obviously. But what I would like is definitely to people to dwell, dig into it. Improve themselves, understand the principles, not focus only on techniques. To focus on techniques is usually what common people are doing. To understand the efficiency of things. This is what
what is needed. And then definitely different avenues, for example, professionals. So more in the military, more in the police. They really need it, obviously, and they need to save lives, not only their own lives, save other people's lives, not only on the third party and PAP protection, but also not to shoot because they can manage without shooting, things like this. Not to be stressed because they manage to deal with the stress.
to work much more on the mental aspect. And we have since 2000 really, we have training for managers, high level managers, directors. And we were going in different avenues. Until Corona, it was okay. Now after Corona, we didn't do much with
But we have specific courses for mental aspects, for mental training, even three days, mental training for managers or people from the military and the police and people coming from the martial art industry. These are general courses like this, but also we have specific courses for managers. And because they are leaders, I think it's very important that they will go through it. And we use Kav Maga in our mental training and physical training and technical and tactical to increase their understanding of the mainly.
deal with stress, understand what is stress, deal with stress, get methods to reduce the stress. And I could talk three days now about this, but you have not so much time. Maybe next time we'll talk.
Jeremy (55:26.796)
Yeah, yeah, well, we can book a three -day session. I'll bring snacks.
Eyal Yanilov (55:32.607)
Okay, but maybe I'm not sure what your organization is doing, but if your organization is doing any type of seminars, maybe we can do something
Jeremy (55:40.866)
That would be great. That would be great, yeah. See if we can make that happen. If people want to get a hold of you or learn more about Krav Maga and KMG, where would they go online?
Eyal Yanilov (55:51.659)
Okay, so we have our main site is www .craft -maga .com. My name with my email, so ayal at craft -maga .com. And if they will be good friends, I'll give them my phone number.
Jeremy (56:13.282)
Sounds great.
In just a moment, I'm gonna have you close us up and give some final thoughts but to the audience, know go check out the website and and you know, one of the things I find interesting is that a Lot of traditional martial artists think of Krav Maga and they think it is something that is so Dramatically different and for some schools it is But what I've witnessed is that a lot of martial arts schools see a lot of what they already do in
my understanding at least of Krav Maga is and I find that really fascinating so don't be afraid to look around whether it's in this context or others but thank you for being here I appreciate your time and what are your final words to the audience today?
Eyal Yanilov (57:01.395)
or if you want me, I can say something long.
Jeremy (57:05.409)
We've got time.
Eyal Yanilov (57:06.955)
Okay, so I think the main thing in what you do in general in life, you need to have the faith, trust and believe first of all. I've been preaching this to my students and I got it mainly for my yoga teacher. Faith is in the abstract, which means faith in the knowledge, faith in the system, faith in the organization, faith in the company you're working for. This is the faith. Trust.
is a trust in the intermediate, in the instructor, in the boss, in the teacher, in the priest, in the rabbi. This is the trust. Trust in the person who is between you and the abstract. If we think about martial art, the knowledge, you need to develop faith in the knowledge. Some of the knowledge is crooked, unfortunately. Some of the knowledge was taught like teaching the enemy, for example, after World War
Things were taught in Japan, like teaching the enemy. You Americans were the enemy. You conquered them. So they taught you the wrong stuff. Obviously. What would happen if I need to teach his Valat? this is the faith. This is the knowledge. Knowledge needs to be right, correct, deep as possible. That is the first.
The second is the trust in the, now we're talking about martial arts, so it's the instructor. The instructor wants to bring you to the highest level possible. And we have in Hebrew is saying, man or person should not be envy with the students or with his children. So you need to bring your students higher level than you are. That's your aim, obviously. And don't be narcissistic and don't put sticks in their wheels.
Yes, that's what they need to be better than you are so it can continue in many ways I'm much better than Amy. Of course, again, he did everything. He was much better than me in some things, but in doing what I'm doing, I'm much better. It's another generation. It's a suitable completely for and the new generations I already see much better than me in something. So this is the trust in the instructor and then you can develop the belief in yourself.
Eyal Yanilov (59:27.841)
you gain the experience, gain the courage, you gain, you're gaining the self -efficacy, you believe in yourself and it is improving you, it is giving you a better abilities, better results than if you don't believe in yourself. So this is what we want to develop in our trainees, that they will believe in themselves, they will have a higher level of efficacy and then the highest level of results.
and we should not be envy in the results. So in that case, faith, belief, the experience, the courage, the understanding, the self -efficacy, the highest level of results. This is the chain. And this we need to do in whatever we do in life. That's my humble opinion. And that's what I'm trying to preach to the guys.