‌• Pick up the ball, take one easy shot over the backboard.
‌• Hit 5 Layups. (you will get 5 in a row and 5 layup bonus)
‌• Say no to any practice with anyone.
You should be able to do this routine before someone asks you to practice something.
‌• Say no to their practice.
‌• Move to the Gym.

Now everyone just thinks that doing vert attempts to get the quickest "doing work" metre is the quickest way possible to progress?

Wrong

Well, depending on how you wish to progress. Every 5 times you use gym equipment you get +1 to Hustle, or +1 Stamina. If you just wish to be the quickest to get your "doing work" metre up, you should do the agility ladder and get gold into vertical jump and get your gold for the maximum quickness. (Press start and quit practice straight away, if thats all you care about)

Since those stats aren't the most important but stamina is worth having for pro-am, try running the ladder on the floor and doing your vertical jumps. (do these both as best as you can).
Now you can do the two weights along the wall and do the jump on to the box to get the guaranteed 5 gym equipment uses and a +1 to Stamina or Hustle for each practice. (You want to fail these events straight away, it still counts if you fail)

I find the quickest and most efficient way is to do the agility ladder and vert jump as quick as you can, then run back and fail the box jump instantly. This will give you max "doing work" metre and give you 3 gym equipment uses. This means that you will have a +1 to Stamina or Hustle every second time you practice.

Remember you can fail all these activities and it doesn't matter. You still get +1 to Stamina or Hustle for each unique one you try per practice. You can't spam just one.