The formal training area of Silat is called "gelanggang" in Malay, or sometimes known as "bangsal Silat". The term "gelanggang" literally means 'arena' or 'court', and may also refer to any space used for competitive activities. The traditional "gelanggang" is located outdoors, in a specially built part of the village or a jungle clearing. It can be either in the form of sand or grass court, and would be enclosed by a simple fence made of bamboo and covered in nipah or coconut leaves to prevent outsiders from stealing secrets. The entrance of the traditional "gelanggang" commonly consists of two poles ("penjuru") upon which wrapped layers of cloth which have been blessed ("jampi") by the guru or cikgu to prevent spirits from entering the arena. Each pole in the gelanggang is also blessed by the guru in order to 'fence in' or 'protect' ("pagar") the area, and neutralize all evils or potentially evil influences in it. Practitioners are also expected to adhere to strict 'taboo' ("pantang larang") whenever they are in the "gelanggang" to maintain discipline in training. Training start right after the night prayer or Isha and can continue up until midnight everyday, except for the night before Friday.