random generator for multiple character vectors - r

Question

I'm new to R and want to write a code that generates random workouts. I have 4 character vectors that look like this
Compound_movements <- c('Hip thrust', 'Squat', 'Deadlift')
Abduction <- c('cable aduction', 'lying plated aduction')
Upper <- c('good mornings', 'kneeling squat')
Maxiums <- c('smith machine kick backs', 'cable kickbacks', 'single leg hipthrusts' )
G_H_tie_in <- c('stomp downs' )
I want to code that will pick out and then print 1 or 2 exercises from each vector. What are the best functions for this?

Answer 1

sample is what I think you need.
set.seed(42) # R-4.0.2
sample(Compound_movements, size = 1)
# [1] "Hip thrust"
sample(Compound_movements, size = 1)
# [1] "Hip thrust"
sample(Compound_movements, size = 1)
# [1] "Hip thrust"
sample(Compound_movements, size = 1)
# [1] "Hip thrust"
sample(Compound_movements, size = 1)
# [1] "Squat"
(Yes, apparently you'll do hip thrusts four times in a row ... random is random.)
If those are stored in a list of exercises, you can pick one from each with:
lst_of_exercises <- list(
Compound_movements = c('Hip thrust', 'Squat', 'Deadlift'),
Abduction = c('cable aduction', 'lying plated aduction'),
Upper = c('good mornings', 'kneeling squat'),
Maxiums = c('smith machine kick backs', 'cable kickbacks', 'single leg hipthrusts' ),
G_H_tie_in = c('stomp downs' )
)
sapply(lst_of_exercises, sample, size = 1)
# Compound_movements Abduction Upper Maxiums G_H_tie_in
# "Squat" "lying plated aduction" "good mornings" "single leg hipthrusts" "stomp downs"
And if you need to do other than the same number for all (e.g., 2 of one group, 1 of the others), then perhaps
Map(sample, lst_of_exercises, size = c(1,1,1,2,1))
# $Compound_movements
# [1] "Deadlift"
# $Abduction
# [1] "lying plated aduction"
# $Upper
# [1] "good mornings"
# $Maxiums
# [1] "smith machine kick backs" "cable kickbacks"
# $G_H_tie_in
# [1] "stomp downs"