Guest Insructors At Krav Maga Yashir Boston
Miki Assulin
Miki Assulin, was one of Imi Lichtenfeld's first students, and one of the first ten people to earn a Black Belt in Krav Maga, (along with Haim Zut, Haim Gidon and Eli Avikazar). He was graded to 5th Dan by Imi. As well as being one of the first Krav Maga instructors, He also studied Aikido under Eli Avikazar (the IDF's 2nd Krav Maga Chief Instructor - Eli replaced Imi), who later went on to create the Krav Magen system that blended many Aikido techniques, concepts and principles with Krav Maga, and is still being taught in Israel today. Miki was also a Krav Maga instructor to IDF troops, teaching under Eli Avikazar.
There are few more experienced Krav Maga instructors than Miki, and when it is understood that amongst those he has trained are Avi Moyal (current head instructor of the IKMF), Eyal Yanilov and Amnon Darsa (Krav Maga Global), Dror Saporta (IKMA), his place in the worldwide Krav Maga community can be truly appreciated. This seminar was a unique opportunity for students at Krav Maga Yashir Boston to train with one of the world's best and most experienced Krav Maga instructors.
Roy Elghanyan
Roy Elghanyan is a Krav Maga & Israeli Ju-Jitsu Expert (5th Degree Black Belt), who is one of the most sought out Krav Maga Instructors in the world. In his seminars students at the school were introduced to REKM (Roy Elghanyan's Krav Maga System), and were shown how solid martial arts training, such as Judo and Aikido, have been incorporated into modern Krav Maga training and fighting.
In 2004 Roy was certified to teach Krav Maga by the Israeli Defense Forces and the Military Training base Wingate Institute (Bahad 8). He is the only person to be twice named Israeli Krav Maga National Champion by the IDF's Chief of Staff, and was hand picked to create a Krav Maga Defense Tactics Program for elite units and divisions that is still in use today. Roy teaches Krav Maga in LA, and has also worked as fight choreographer and trainer for many Hollywood stars. He has also produced and starred in a number of action films, demonstrating his Krav Maga skills and abilities.
Ran Steinberg
Ran is an 8th Degree Black Belt in Dennis Hisardut, a system of self-defense and fighting created by Dr. Dennis Hanover, that is taught to elite members and units of the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). Ran has headed up a variety of elite Krav Maga programs taught within the IDF. Ran has been a Dennis Hisardut instructor for over 20 years and is a 12-times light and middle-weight champion of the Israel Dennis Hisardut Fighting Championship. In 2003 He won the World Karate Grand Prix held in Japan. Ran is one of Grandmaster Dennis Hanover's global ambassadors, who travels internationally to present and promote the system.
Ran's seminars covered a lot of topics including throwing and the use of Judo in self-defense, as well as demonstrating the use of Military Krav Maga in civilian settings. Ran covered the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) use of firearms - both short and long barrel - as "cold weapons", using them to block and strike with, and how the method replicates unarmed Krav Maga movements.
Dr Gavriel Schneider
Dr. Gavriel (Gav) Schneider (7th Dan) is the creator of the concept of Presilience© and an expert in risk and opportunity-based decision making. He specializes in security risk management and counter and anti-terrorism. Dr. Schenider is also the Head of the MWA (Modern Warrior Alliance), which has invited Krav Maga Yashir Head Instructor Gershon Ben Keren, to teach and instruct three times at the annual summit, in both South Africa and Israel. He holds black belts in a number of different fighting systems including Krav Maga and Hisardut.
His seminar topics covered the following areas: Fundamentals of Self Defense, Standup Striking & Grappling, Weapon's Controls & Disarms, and Ground Fighting/Survival. Using a "Combatives" approach to re-use of techniques Gavriel showed how by breaking attacks into quadrants and using aggressive forward movement, attacks whether armed or unarmed could be dealt with in exactly the same way e.g. if the range of a stick or baton was taken away it could be effectively treated as a short range weapon, such as a knife, or even a punch. Taking this simple and direct approach, students were taught a short/abbreviated system that could be applied to a myriad of situations and attacks.
Dave Ashworth
Dave Ashworth is a Close Protection Operative who has worked in some of the toughest and most dangerous regions of the Middle East. Dave is a real world operator who not only works in these regions but also teaches and trains civilians, security and military personnel how to operate and work in these hostile environments. As a former member of the UKSF (UK Special Forces) Dave is a top Counter Terror Operative who has first-hand experience dealing with some of the most dangerous and skilled terrorist organizations that exist.
Dave has conducted several "Terrorism Awareness Courses (TAC)" at Krav Maga Yashir Boston where students were introduced to the different ways in which terrorist organizations go about selecting targets and carrying out surveillance on them. A variety of case studies were discussed, using examples of different terrorist groups with very different aims and goals. This course was largely classroom based, with Powerpoint and white board presentations, combined with a mix of group exercises. Dave has also conducted seminars on "Travel Security" and "Fighting From And In Vehicles" utilizing his own real-world based approach to combatives.
Michael Ruppel
Michael Ruppel is a German Krav Maga Instructor who began his Krav Maga training under Amnon Maor (the former Chief Krav Maga Instructor of the IDF Border Patrol). He is a 2010 inductee into the Museum of Israeli Martial Arts. He was also awarded his 5th Degree Black Belt by Dr Dennis Hanover – the founder of Hisardut. He has been a guest instructor at the LOTAR counter-terror school in Israel. Michael is also a CPO (Close Protection Operative), with experience protecting many European celebrities and politicians.
The emphasis of the training that he brought to Krav Maga Yashir Boston, was on short-barrel gun disarming; looking at effective ways to deal with pistol and revolver threats - this being a specialty of his. Rather than simply focus on the practice of techniques, the seminars looked at putting the techniques into contextual settings, such as disarming in vehicles or crowded environments etc.
David Kahn
David Kahn is a 3rd Degree Black Belt under Haim Gidon (one of Imi’s first students, along with Miki Assulin), who is the current Head Instructor of the IKMA (Israeli Krav Maga Association). David is the US representative of the IKMA and teaches Krav Maga in New Jersey. After graduating from Princeton University, David began his Krav Maga training with Rick Blitstein (who was one of only three Americans to attend and pass the first International IKMA instructor course – Darren Levine the head of the Krav Maga Association of America being one of the others), before training with the IKMA, in Netanya, Israel.
David Kahn introduced Krav Maga Yashir Boston students, to the IKMA (Israeli Krav Maga Association) curriculum/approach to self-defense and fighting. The system is referred to as “Gidon System”, in recognition of Haim Gidon’s amendments and modifications to Imi Lichtenfeld’s original Krav Maga system, that most notably included the addition of ground-fighting which had originally been limited to just a few techniques.