A podcast about realistic self defense for women. Hosted by Pretty Deadly founder Susie Kahlich and women from around the world, we're addressing common misconceptions about self defense, why we think self defense should be part of self care, and sharing tips, tricks and stories.
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S9 Episode 138: Fists and Featherdusters | Pretty Deadly Podcast
Can cleaning your living room teach you self-defense? In this episode, Susie Kahlich walks us through everyday household tasks—throwing toys, dusting, vacuuming—and reveals how these ordinary movements are secretly self-defense techniques in disguise.
Highlights:
● How side-arm throws build reflexes for real-world defense
● Why feather dusters and vacuum handles are stealth training tools
● The martial arts wisdom hidden in “wax on, wax off”
Timestamps:
00:51 – Toy Tossing as Throwing Practice
03:41 – Why Side Throws Matter in Self-Defense
04:46 – Frisbees, Records, and Shuriken Energy
06:24 – Weaponizing Books and Magazines
07:57 – Dusting as Blade Training (Shuto Strikes)
11:02 – Wax On, Wax Off (Window Cleaning = Defensive Blocks)
12:16 – Vacuuming and Syncing Movement with Power
Listen / Watch:
🎧 Spotify (#) | Apple Podcasts (#) | Acast (#)
📺 YouTube: Pretty Deadly Self Defense (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvfV_W_6OoKD0bOmcu_JXSiKiNV29Ab0R&si=aD8eeo5dCHGtIkCG)
Subscribe for more:
📰 Substack: Pretty Deadly News (https://prettydeadly.substack.com/)
🔔 Follow Pretty Deadly Self Defense for more self-defense tips, solo travel advice, and badassery.
Have fun. Make friends. Kick ass. 💪💜
#SelfDefense #PrettyDeadly #WomensSelfDefense #SoloTravel #SelfDefenseTips
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
1 May 2025
S9 Episode 137: Wax On, Wax Off
What does The Karate Kid have to do with real-world self-defense? Everything. Continuing in the kitchen, this episode explores how wiping counters, kicking the fridge closed, and sweeping the floor are actually training your body for effective blocks, strikes, and takedowns.
Highlights:
● Wiping in circles = real block and redirect training
● Side-kicking your fridge builds striking mechanics
● Sweeping = elbow control and takedown practice
Timestamps:
01:00 – Karate Kid and “wax on, wax off” explained
02:10 – Turning wiping motions into defense drills
04:10 – Side kick mechanics (using your fridge!)
05:52 – Wet dish towel = face strike practice
09:06 – Sweeping as a takedown
10:51 – How to strike with a broom like a hanbo
Listen / Watch:
🎧 Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/pretty-deadly-podcast) | Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pretty-deadly-podcast/id1234567890) | Acast (https://shows.acast.com/pretty-deadly-podcast)
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrettyDeadlySelfDefense (https://www.youtube.com/@PrettyDeadlySelfDefense)
Subscribe for more:
📰 Substack: https://prettydeadlyselfdefense.substack.com (https://prettydeadlyselfdefense.substack.com/)
🔔 Follow Pretty Deadly Self Defense for more self-defense tips, solo travel advice, and badassery.
Have fun. Make friends. Kick ass. 💪💜
#SelfDefense #PrettyDeadly #WomensSelfDefense #SoloTravel #SelfDefenseTips
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
24 Apr 2025
S9 Episode 136: Everything But the Kitchen Sink
💬 Episode Summary
What if you could train self-defense without adding anything to your schedule? In this episode, Susie Kahlich explains how everyday household tasks—like washing dishes or loading the dishwasher—can become effective training tools for self-defense. Learn how scrubbing, reaching, and bending can help you practice strikes, wrist locks, and escapes, using movements you already do every day. This isn't just about efficiency—it’s a feminist reframe of how and where self-defense happens.
Whether you’re a beginner or a longtime Pretty Deadly fan, this is where martial arts meet real life.
🔗 prettydeadlyselfdefense.com (https://www.prettydeadlyselfdefense.com/)
📺 Subscribe on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@PrettyDeadlySelfDefense)
🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How cleaning can train self-defense reflexes
Why martial arts instruction often misses the mark for women
How to train like elite athletes without the gym
The origin of Pretty Deadly’s “kitchen sink” approach
Strike, block, and escape techniques built into daily habits
⏱️ YouTube Timestamps (Chapters)
00:00 – Welcome & training mindset
00:36 – Train like elite athletes: everyday movement
01:46 – Gender bias in martial arts teaching
02:45 – Creating Pretty Deadly for real-world women
03:32 – Turning chores into training: the new series
04:46 – Scrubbing = claw strikes to remove grabs
05:58 – Washing pans = elbow strike practice
06:41 – Glassware = wrist locks for escapes
07:43 – “Shake the Water” = escape a two-hand choke
08:44 – Dishwasher tips: shuriken & bending safely
10:13 – Putting dishes away = palm strikes with follow-through
11:46 – Using your whole body in strikes
12:56 – Don’t train more. Train smarter.
🧠 Bonus: Try It Yourself
🧽 Scrub with purpose
🧼 Load with awareness
🍽️ Strike with a plate
Because every move you make can be powerful.
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible & more.
🎶 Theme: “Icarus Wish” by Dead Centuries. Used with permission.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 64 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
95
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
85
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