Linear and Complex Progressions - Sandwich Method

Ordinarily, we use a progression from basic skills to more complex skills integrating more basic skills. An example would be:
stationary shot -> 1 shot with movement from the base -> serial pattern of multiple shots-> semi open-ended pattern -> fully open-ended game situation drill-> competition

A player will frequently move up through a progression, then move back to the start of the progression and start again. For example, you'll do basic drills during preseason training, and gradually more open-ended or complex drills as the season progresses. This type of cycle occurs at different scales:

beginner: mostly basic drills -> advanced player : mostly complex drills
preseason: emphasize simpler drills -> late season: emphasize open-ended drills

However, how do you manage progressions on a smaller time scale? For example, on a monthly, weekly, or even per session basis?

Obviously, if you're only training once or twice a week, you can do something quite simple like taking small progressions (i.e. longer serial progressions, faster speed) each week and then maybe the bigger ones (i.e. more open ended, switch from half to full court) each month.

If you're training more frequently, you can be a bit more clever in arranging your exercises to avoid stagnation. One method for working on a progression within a single training session is what I like to call the sandwich method. It works like this:

complex drill -> simple progressions -> back to complex drill

So, you start with the advanced exercise, which can be used as an assessment of the player's higher level skills: positioning, decision making etc. Some things you can change with vocal cues, others require more work on simpler progressions. When you go to a simpler progression after the complex drill, you will be more focused on what needs work because you've already been shown what's deficient. When you finally get back to the complex drill, you have a point of reference from which you can look for improvement.