About Krav Maga Global
Krav Maga Global (KMG) is the international Krav Maga organisation founded in 2010 by Eyal Yanilov — the closest student of Imi Lichtenfeld, the creator of Krav Maga. KMG operates in over 60 countries with a single internationally maintained curriculum and one instructor certification standard. KMG New Zealand is the sole national representative of Krav Maga Global in New Zealand.
Not all Krav Maga is the same. The name is widely used — by gyms, instructors, and organisations with very different levels of authentic connection to the system and its founder. Understanding who stands behind the training matters.
Krav Maga Global exists because Eyal Yanilov built it to ensure that the system Imi Lichtenfeld developed would continue to be taught to the same standard, with the same principles, anywhere in the world — including here in New Zealand.
What is Krav Maga Global?
Krav Maga Global is the international organisation Eyal Yanilov founded in 2010 to carry the Krav Maga system forward as a single, consistent worldwide standard. It is not a franchise model or a loose network of affiliated gyms. It is one organisation with a maintained international curriculum, a rigorous instructor certification programme, and a direct line of authority from its founder to every certified instructor around the world.
Every KMG instructor qualifies through the same certification process. Every KMG club teaches from the same syllabus. That consistency is intentional — it is what makes the KMG standard meaningful rather than just a name.
The organisation operates across more than 60 countries. Its students include military and law enforcement units, security professionals, and ordinary adults who want practical self-defence training they can trust. The connecting thread in every case is the same: training that traces directly back to the system Imi Lichtenfeld built, taught to the standard Eyal Yanilov has maintained and developed.
What KMG is not
KMG is not a sport organisation. There are no competitions, no rankings based on performance against other athletes, and no curriculum shaped around rules. The system is built for real-world self-defence — which is why Imi developed it, and why Eyal has continued to evolve it in that direction.
Eyal Yanilov — founder of Krav Maga Global
Eyal Yanilov is the founder and Head Instructor of Krav Maga Global, and the highest-graded instructor in the KMG system. He began training under Imi Lichtenfeld as a teenager, became Imi's primary assistant and closest student, and was personally entrusted by Imi to carry the system forward after his death in 1998.
That relationship was not simply a student-teacher arrangement. Imi authorised Eyal to update and refine the techniques, ensuring the system would continue to evolve in response to real threats rather than becoming fixed and static.
In 1996, Eyal and Imi established the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF) to teach the system internationally. After Imi's death, Eyal continued developing and teaching the system worldwide. In 2010, he left the IKMF and founded Krav Maga Global — a new organisation built specifically to maintain the integrity of the curriculum and the standard of instructor training across a growing worldwide network.
Eyal Yanilov on Krav Maga — filmed during his visit to New Zealand.
Eyal holds the highest grade in the KMG grading system. He continues to lead KMG internationally, set curriculum standards, train and certify senior instructors, and work directly with military and law enforcement organisations worldwide. More on Eyal's teaching is available at MaxKravMaga.com.
Why this matters for students
When you train under KMG, you are training inside a system with a clear, documented line of authority — from Imi Lichtenfeld through Eyal Yanilov to the instructors certified under KMG's international programme. That is a meaningful distinction in a field where many organisations use similar language without the same substance behind it.
The KMG curriculum and instructor standard
The KMG curriculum is a single internationally maintained system — not a collection of regional variations, individual interpretations, or loosely affiliated teaching styles. Eyal Yanilov sets and updates the curriculum from KMG's international headquarters. Every certified KMG instructor teaches from that same material.
Becoming a KMG instructor requires completing a rigorous certification programme that covers both technical competence and the ability to teach the system effectively. Instructors are not self-certified. They qualify under the KMG system and are accountable to its standards.
KMG New Zealand
KMG New Zealand is the sole national representative of Krav Maga Global in New Zealand. The KMG New Zealand instructor team delivers training within the international KMG framework — the same curriculum, the same standards, the same direct connection to the system Eyal Yanilov maintains.
Active KMG training is currently available through clubs in North Shore Auckland, West Auckland and Hastings. Choose your nearest club below for local training information, classes and contact details. For the full national picture, including developing locations, visit the KMG New Zealand locations page.
Krav Maga North Shore Auckland
KMG training on Auckland's North Shore. View local classes, training information and how to get started.
Visit North Shore Club → AucklandKrav Maga West Auckland
KMG self-defence training in West Auckland. View local training information and contact the club.
Visit West Auckland Club → Hawke's BayKrav Maga Hastings
KMG training in Hastings, Hawke's Bay. View local classes, training information and how to get started.
Visit Hastings Club →For the history of how Krav Maga was created, read The Origins of Krav Maga.
Where to go next
Everything you need to understand the system, who it suits, and how to get started.
How Krav Maga Works
How the KMG curriculum is structured, what training builds, and why it transfers to real situations.
Read the guide Who It's ForWho Krav Maga Is For
Beginners, women, older adults — who the system suits and what to expect when you start.
Read the guide Self-DefenceSelf-Defence in New Zealand
Practical self-defence — what it involves, the legal context, and who it matters most to.
Read the guide ComparisonsKrav Maga vs Other Martial Arts
How Krav Maga compares to BJJ, boxing, MMA, Muay Thai, and others for real-world self-defence.
Read the guide HistoryThe Origins of Krav Maga
How Imi Lichtenfeld developed the system, how Eyal Yanilov shaped its modern form, and how it reached New Zealand.
Read the guide Find TrainingKMG Club Locations
Active KMG clubs in North Shore Auckland, West Auckland and Hastings, plus developing locations across New Zealand.
Find a locationWhat people ask about Krav Maga Global
Krav Maga Global (KMG) is the international Krav Maga organisation founded in 2010 by Eyal Yanilov, the closest student of Krav Maga's creator Imi Lichtenfeld. KMG operates in over 60 countries with a single internationally maintained curriculum and a rigorous instructor certification programme. Eyal founded KMG after leaving the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF), which he had established with Imi in 1996.
KMG was founded by Eyal Yanilov — the closest student of Imi Lichtenfeld, the creator of Krav Maga — and maintains a single internationally consistent curriculum. Many organisations use the Krav Maga name, but KMG's direct connection to the system's origin and its rigorous instructor certification programme set it apart from looser networks or self-certified instruction.
Eyal Yanilov is the founder and global head of Krav Maga Global. He trained under Imi Lichtenfeld from a young age, became Imi's primary assistant and closest student, and was personally entrusted by Imi to carry the system forward. He holds the highest grade in the KMG grading system and continues to lead KMG internationally, setting curriculum standards and certifying senior instructors worldwide.
Through a single internationally maintained curriculum and a rigorous instructor certification programme. Every KMG instructor qualifies under the same system and teaches from the same material — regardless of which country they operate in. Eyal Yanilov sets and updates the curriculum from KMG's international headquarters.
KMG teaches civilian self-defence — not military combat training. The system shares principles with the military application of Krav Maga but the KMG curriculum is specifically designed for civilian contexts: realistic threats, legal and ethical constraints, and practical self-defence for ordinary adults.
Active KMG training is currently available through Krav Maga North Shore Auckland, Krav Maga West Auckland, and Krav Maga Hastings. Waitlist registrations are also available for developing locations around New Zealand. See the national locations page for full details.
Find Training Near You
Choose an active KMG club or view all current and developing training locations across New Zealand.