all u ▁p ah ara ▁ ▁V ak ka ▁p ah ara ▁ ▁Before ▁a ▁practice ▁session ▁starts , ▁the ▁student ▁is ▁expected ▁to ▁med itate ▁and ▁offer ▁mer it ▁to ▁the ▁master . ▁The ▁student ▁lights ▁three ▁l amps ▁as ▁he ▁enters ▁to ▁the ▁ang am ▁mad u wa . ▁Stud ents ▁also ▁make ▁a ▁p ledge ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁technique ▁sole ly ▁for ▁purposes ▁ ▁of ▁self - def ense ▁and ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁his ▁family ▁or ▁country . ▁Pract ice ▁begins ▁with ▁basic ▁warm - up ▁exer cis es , ▁gradually ▁moving ▁on ▁to ▁special ▁exer cis es . ▁Foot ▁movement ▁techniques ▁are ▁the ▁corner stone ▁of ▁this ▁art ▁of ▁fighting , ▁and ▁a ▁foot ▁exercise ▁called ▁mul la ▁pan ina ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁skill ▁taught , ▁with ▁minor ▁mistakes ▁being ▁st iff ly ▁discipl ined . ▁This ▁exercise ▁is ▁followed ▁next ▁by ▁more ▁advanced ▁techniques ▁like ▁G aman ▁Th al awa . ▁ ▁The ▁hand ▁fighting ▁technique ▁known ▁as ▁am ar aya ▁is ▁a ▁step ▁into ▁the ▁next ▁level ▁of ▁training . ▁A ▁student ▁lear ns ▁to ▁observe ▁the ▁weak ness es ▁of ▁the ▁oppon ent , ▁and ▁to ▁attack ▁weak ▁points ▁with ▁experience . ▁We ap ons ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁sur utt uw alu wa / vel ay ud aya ▁( an ▁appar atus ▁made ▁of ▁four ▁long ▁flexible ▁pieces ▁of ▁metal , ▁with ▁sharp ▁edges ▁on ▁both ▁sides ), ▁the ▁combat ▁sword , ▁k eti ▁k adu wa ▁( a ▁short ▁sword ), ▁and ▁can e ▁st