30/30 Challenge
Daily deliberate practice exercises for simultaneous interpreters.
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My name is Mykhailo Khokhlovych and I'm an experienced simultaneous interpreter working with English, Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish.
Scroll down the page to find past and active interpretation and CPD challenges.
If you want to reach out to me regarding interpretation at your event or interpretation training, feel free to send me an email at mykhailo@yourinterpreter.eu:
Active Challenge
Current Lecture
30/30 Challenge Archive
Over 30 days, we practice attention splitting, décalage control, delivery precision, and accent tolerance. Select a week below to browse the daily tasks.
Designed and brought to you by Alexandra 'Sasha' Komarova.
Week 1: Attention Split & Cognitive Load (Brain Gym)
Goal
Simultaneous interpretation coordinates two cognitive streams: processing incoming speech while producing output. Today's recording establishes your current dual-tasking baseline.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language on any familiar topic. Interpret and record your output. Note moments where attention shifted too heavily toward input or output. Listen back to your recording and identify specific timestamps where balance broke down.
Reflection
What consumed more cognitive resources — analysis or production? Why do you think that imbalance occurred? Rate your attention balance today on a scale from 1 (completely lopsided) to 10 (perfectly distributed).
Bonus Challenge
Interpret the same speech into your C language, or interpret with background music playing.
Goal
Shadowing reduces the cognitive cost of listen-speak coordination by automatising this motor pattern, freeing up resources for the real work of interpretation.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language (you can consult the European Commission Speech Repository or use the recommended materials below). Shadow it, staying one full idea behind. Record yourself. Listen back to your recording and mark where coordination deteriorated.
Challenge LITE
If staying a full thought behind is difficult, try shadowing the segment without a delay the first time and then go one thought behind the second time.
Reflection
Where in the speech did your lag control break down? What triggered the loss of control? Rate how automatic the dual-tasking felt on a scale from 1 (effortful throughout) to 10 (completely fluid).
Bonus Challenge
Shadow while walking continuously, or shadow into your C language.
Description
For an interpreter, it is second nature to listen and speak simultaneously. Today, we add a third task: counting backwards. It sounds simple, but it is highly cognitively demanding.
Task
Find a 5-7 minute speech segment (see recommended videos below). Shadow it while counting backwards from 100 every 7 seconds in your head (e.g., 100... wait 7 seconds... 99... wait 7 seconds... 98). If you lose count, start again from 100. Record yourself, listen back, and note if shadowing quality degraded and where.
Challenge LITE
If you find counting backwards in intervals hard, feel free to count at your own pace or count upwards.
Reflection
- What number did you get to in the end? Did you lose count in the process?
- How did the counting affect the shadowing? Was it distracting or did it help stabilise your attention?
- How did you count: did you say the numbers in your head or see them as symbols?
Description
A large part of interpretation work involves dealing with distractions, such as background noise, a poor microphone connection, or hunger. This exercise helps you practice filtering out distractions.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language. Interpret while writing numbers 1-100 or drawing continuous geometric patterns. Record your interpretation. Listen back and note at least 5 things you did well and 5 things you would like to improve. Determine if any of these were caused by the distraction.
Consecutive Version
For consecutive interpretation, try tapping out a rhythm with your foot or non-dominant hand when you start speaking.
Reflection
How easy or difficult was it to handle the distraction? Was there any strategy you used to make it easier?
Bonus Challenge
Do squats or walking lunges while interpreting, or interpret into your C language with distraction.
Description
This exercise focuses on appreciation and positive reinforcement to build confidence and content-tracking precision.
Task
Find a 5-10 minute video in your B language. Interpret and record yourself. Every time you get something right, celebrate it: snap your fingers, tap your foot, or smile. Listen back to the recording and list these positive points. Note anything you missed live that you noticed in the transcript.
Follow-up Exercise
Find things in the recording you wish you had done differently. Interpret the segment again and correct those mistakes. Every time you correct a mistake in the second interpretation, celebrate it right away.
Reflection
- Did instant positive feedback improve your experience of interpretation or did you find it distracting?
- How do you feel about your interpreting skills: do you feel more confident and content with yourself?
- Did focusing first on the positive and then on the negative make it easier to spot and correct errors later?
Description
Look back on the past 5 days and ask yourself: "What do I want to work on the most?" A language? A topic? A skill? Warm up, find a speech, interpret, record, and assess quickly.
Description
We trained the cognitive side of interpretation with difficult tasks to make real booth work feel manageable. Now reflect on what has changed.
Task
Choose the most memorable or difficult exercise from Days 1-6. Repeat it with new speech material, record it, and compare it to your first attempt by listening to both side by side.
Reflection
Has anything changed since the first attempt? If so, what caused that improvement? Rate overall improvement in this skill: 1 (no change) to 10 (dramatically better).
Bonus Challenge
Add one difficulty modifier you did not use the first time (different language direction, physical movement, background sound, etc.).
Week 2: Décalage & Lag Management
Goal
Your lag shifts constantly during interpretation based on speaker rhythm, density, and processing needs. Today you deliberately move through the lag spectrum to identify your comfort zone.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language with moderate speed. Shadow the speech (same language, no translation) through progressive lag stages: zero lag (1-2 min), 2-second lag (1-2 min), 4-second lag (1-2 min), 6-second lag (1-2 min), and 8-10 second lag (remaining time). Record yourself and listen back to identify where your delivery sounded smoothest.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and own it.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for tomorrow.
Bonus Challenge
Repeat the exercise interpreting (not shadowing) into your A language, or try the progression in your C language.
Goal
Extended lag provides more context, leading to more accurate, natural-sounding output, but it taxes your working memory heavily.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language with a clear structure and moderate density. Interpret and consciously maintain a 5-7 second lag throughout. Record yourself, noting when the lag feels natural versus when it strains your memory. Listen back to the first 5 minutes: did the lag improve reformulation? Where did memory load cause errors?
Consecutive Version
Find a speech. Take notes for your normal duration. Give yourself no more than 5 seconds to look at your notes before you begin interpreting, with no second looks.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and give yourself credit.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for the next day.
Bonus Challenge
Use a denser, technical speech, or interpret into your C language with extended lag.
Goal
Tight lag reduces memory load but increases the risk of source language interference. Today you observe how proximity to the source affects your reformulation freedom.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language with a simple, conversational style. Interpret and consciously maintain a 2-3 second lag throughout. Record yourself and note when tight lag feels energising versus when it pulls you into the source structure. Listen back to the first 5 minutes: did your syntax stay natural, or did you follow source patterns?
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and write it down.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for the next day.
Bonus Challenge
Choose a speaker with a strong or unusual intonation (regional accent, non-native speaker) or interpret into your C language.
Goal
Real speakers accelerate, slow down, and pause unpredictably. Bring conscious attention to how you adjust your lag as speaker pace changes.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech with variable delivery speed (debates, interviews, or spontaneous speeches work well). Interpret and record yourself. Do not force adjustments — simply notice how your lag responds to speed changes. Listen back to the first 5 minutes: did you adjust lag naturally or stay rigid? How did that affect accuracy?
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and celebrate it.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for the next day.
Bonus Challenge
Use a speech with dramatic speed changes, or interpret a debate or panel with multiple speakers.
Goal
Information density impacts optimal lag more than speed. Dense content (statistics, lists, technical terms) requires longer lag for processing, while narrative passages allow for tighter lag.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute mixed-density speech (e.g., a TED talk containing both stories and data). Interpret and record yourself: extend lag during dense sections, and compress during narrative sections. Listen back to the first 5 minutes and check accuracy in dense versus narrative sections.
Reflection
Where did lag management directly affect content transfer — what specific information got lost or preserved? Rate how well lag adjustment protected content quality from 1 (failed to preserve key info) to 10 (strategic lag saved accuracy).
Bonus Challenge
Use highly technical speech with data-heavy sections, or interpret into your C language.
Goal
Everyone loses lag control sometimes (falling too far behind or catching up too close). The mark of skill is recovering smoothly without cascading errors.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute challenging speech (fast delivery, dense content, or unfamiliar topic). Interpret and record yourself, expecting lag control to break down. When you fall behind or get too close, notice your instinctive response. Listen back to the first 5 minutes: did recovery preserve the core message or create additional distortion?
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance — showing up for difficult practice counts.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for tomorrow.
Bonus Challenge
Deliberately sabotage your lag mid-speech and practice recovery, or work in your C language.
Description
A unit of meaning is anything that can stand as a grammatical sentence. Today, practice starting as soon as you have enough information to form a sentence, and stay exactly one sentence behind.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute video. Interpret staying one unit of meaning behind. Listen back to your recording and reflect on the strategy. Determine if it worked or if you need to tweak it.
Bonus Challenge
You can insert short sentences (like "Let's look at the numbers") to manage cognitive load.
Goal
Synthesise this week's experiments to build a personal décalage strategy that serves your output quality.
Task
Review your recordings and notes from Days 8-13. Identify what lag range produced your best work and what adjustment pattern served you well. Choose a speech type where you struggled most this week, interpret it again with your conscious lag strategy, record it, and compare to your first attempt.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and appreciate your growth.
- Identify one improvement focus that you'll carry into Week 3.
Bonus Challenge
Apply your optimal lag strategy to an unfamiliar speech type, or work in your C language.
Week 3: Delivery in Simultaneous Interpretation
Goal
Before improving delivery, you need to understand your starting point. Today, analyze your natural intonation, rhythm, and pause patterns.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language. Interpret naturally without overthinking delivery. Record yourself. Listen back to the first 5 minutes and rate your intonation (natural vs. mirroring source), flow (steady vs. varying), and pauses (clean silences vs. vocal fillers).
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and own it.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for tomorrow.
Bonus Challenge
Record the same speech into your C language and compare delivery quality across languages.
Goal
Source language intonation can "infect" your output under cognitive load, making it sound unnatural. Practice active intonation independence.
Task
Find a 5-7 minute speech in your B language with distinctive intonation. Step 1: Shadow 2-3 minutes of native speech in your A language (from a different recording) to prime target intonation patterns. Step 2: Interpret the B-language speech while consciously aiming to sound like an A-language native speaker.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and give yourself credit.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for tomorrow.
Bonus Challenge
Choose a speaker with a very strong or unusual intonation (regional accent, non-native speaker) or interpret into your C language.
Goal
Uneven delivery (alternating rushed bursts and dead stops) exhausts listeners. Smooth flow means intentional pacing without chaotic lurches.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language. Before interpreting, set a conversational A-language target pace in your mind. Interpret and record, consciously monitoring your pace and correcting when you speed up or stop abruptly. Listen back to the first 5 minutes and mark timestamps where flow broke down.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for tomorrow.
Bonus Challenge
Interpret while tapping your foot to a steady beat (not matching your words, just maintaining rhythm awareness) or work into your C language.
Goal
Backtracking and restarting sentences fragments delivery and broadcasts uncertainty. Practice committing to structure, finishing sentences even if imperfect, and avoiding constant revision.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language. Interpret with one rule: once you start a sentence, finish it — no restarting mid-sentence. Accept imperfect wording over constant revision. Listen back to the first 5 minutes and count false starts and self-corrections.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance and celebrate it.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for tomorrow.
Bonus Challenge
Add a second rule: no filler words allowed while figuring out sentence endings, or work into your C language.
Goal
Silence can make interpreters uncomfortable, leading to vocal fillers (um, uh, stretched vowels). Clean pauses signal confidence and give listeners processing time.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language. Interpret with one rule: when you need to pause, pause in complete silence. Record yourself, listen back to the first 5 minutes, and count your clean pauses versus moments filled with vocal fillers.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance.
- Identify one improvement focus and set an intention for tomorrow.
Bonus Challenge
Extend pause length — take 2-3 second silences when needed rather than micro-pauses, or work into your C language.
Goal
Beyond emergency thinking pauses, strategic pauses enhance delivery by emphasizing key points, marking transitions, and giving listeners time to absorb complex details.
Task
Find a 7-10 minute speech in your B language with clear messages and transitions. Interpret and consciously insert strategic pauses: brief pause before major points, brief pause after key statements, and longer pauses between distinct sections. Listen back and note if they enhanced clarity.
Reflection
- Identify one strength in today's performance.
- Identify one improvement focus that you'll carry into Week 4.
Bonus Challenge
Work with dense technical content where pauses are especially valuable, or interpret into your C language.
Description
Apply this week's delivery strategies to a new segment. Interpret a different part of the practice video (7-10 minutes) and record yourself. Listen back and compare it to your Day 15 baseline recording to assess progress.
Week 4: Accents & Comprehension Strategies
Description
Understanding regional accents requires exposure and pattern recognition. Formulate a linguistic theory of the accent (phonetic changes, intonation, stress), shadow the practice videos, and record your performance.
Task
Listen to the provided videos to expose yourself to the Scottish accent. Pay attention to phonetic changes, intonation, and stress patterns compared to standard English varieties.
Practice Material
Reflection
Identify difficult words or phrases and write down what made them confusing. Note changes in phonetic sounds (e.g., rolled r's or vowel shifts) and formulate a linguistic theory for this accent.
Goal
Familiarity reduces cognitive load when working with accents. Practice identifying systematic phonetic and rhythmic patterns to ease comprehension.
Task
Step 1: Listen to one of today's Indian accent video suggestions without interpreting, focusing on phonetic patterns and processing bottlenecks. Step 2: Return to the beginning, interpret, and record yourself. Listen back to the first 5 minutes to identify where accent features caused omissions.
Practice Material
Reflection
- What was most challenging about this accent (phonetics, prosody, speed, lexis)?
- What could you do to make comprehension easier next time?
- Identify one strength and one improvement focus.
Bonus Challenge
Find another 5-minute video with the same accent type and repeat the exercise to test if second exposure improves comprehension.
Goal
Different accents present unique challenges (e.g., consonant clusters, vowel distinctions, tone). Practice active listening and analytical awareness to build pattern recognition.
Task
Listen to the provided Chinese accent video without interpreting. Actively identify distinctive features and compare to your previous accent studies. Return to the beginning, interpret, and record yourself. Listen back to the first 5 minutes: did you anticipate any patterns successfully?
Practice Material
Reflection
- What was most challenging about this accent?
- What could you do to make comprehension easier next time?
- Identify one strength and one improvement focus.
Bonus Challenge
Compare your recordings from the India practice (Day 23) and today (China): which was more challenging and why?
Goal
Develop active accent comprehension strategies: listening for prosody, focusing on content words, or extending your lag.
Task
Listen to the provided Tanzanian accent video without interpreting. Identify immediate standout features. Return to the beginning, interpret, and record yourself, noticing what strategies you instinctively deploy. Listen back to the first 5 minutes and evaluate which strategies worked.
Practice Material
Reflection
- What was most challenging about this accent?
- What could you do to make comprehension easier next time?
- Identify one strength and one improvement focus.
Bonus Challenge
Deliberately try a different comprehension strategy than you used on previous days (e.g., if you extended lag before, try a tighter lag today).
Goal
Repeated exposure to a challenging accent builds the neural pathways required for decoding its patterns, transforming struggle into competence.
Task
Review your past recordings and reflections. Choose the accent you found most difficult (Scottish, Indian, Chinese, or Tanzanian). Find the practice video or select a new 7-10 minute speech in that accent. Listen without interpreting first, then interpret and record. Compare this recording to your first attempt.
Reflection
- What specifically improved between your first and second exposure to this accent?
- Identify one strength in today's performance and appreciate your growth.
- Identify one improvement focus that you'll carry forward in your practice.
Bonus Challenge
Find a third video with the same accent and shadow (do not interpret) for 5 minutes to internalise the prosodic patterns.
Final Wrap-up & Communication
Description
This task focuses on the core purpose of interpretation: communication. Choose a speech and interpret it specifically for a listener — this could be another person, a pet, or even a stuffed toy. Record yourself and note if having an audience improves your communication presence.
Description
To reconnect interpretation with active communication, record a video of yourself interpreting. Observe your facial movements and body language during difficult passages. Record yourself interpreting a 7-10 minute speech, watch the playback, and evaluate how confident and natural you look.
Bonus Challenge
Pay attention to how physical strain or difficulty manifests in your facial expressions.
Description
Congratulations on completing the 30-day challenge. The ultimate goal of this program is to establish self-recording and positive self-monitoring as permanent tools in your ongoing professional practice. Keep practicing for your own benefit and the benefit of your listeners.
Recommended Practice Videos
A curated list of video materials to use for Week 1, 2, and 3 exercises, arranged by B/C source language.
English
- History (Sarah Paine · Medium Pace) - Part 1 →
- History (Sarah Paine · Medium Pace) - Part 2 →
- Economics (Rory Sutherland · Medium Pace) - Part 1 →
- Economics (Rory Sutherland · Medium Pace) - Part 2 →
- AI and Translation (Anthony Pym · Medium Pace) - Part 1 →
- AI and Translation (Anthony Pym · Low-Quality Mic) - Part 2 →
- AI and Translation (Anthony Pym · Medium Pace) - Part 3 →
French
Ukrainian
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