Can We Target Individual Muscles?
Different exercises for the same muscle groups do work muscles differently, but not in the hyper specific way that people think it’ll tighten, lift, or radically create muscle growth. Variety in exercises to make sure the entire muscle group is strengthened can be incorporated into workout routines, but more variety doesn’t mean better/more gains. If you have a good program with a little bit of variety, it’s more important to focus on consistency and adding weight over time, rather than worry about tweaking exercises.
The Squat Isn't For Everyone
Squats are generally seen as the must-do exercise for lower body development, and it’s often ignored by fitness professionals that some people do not enjoy or cannot perform them. Spine, hip, knee, and calve conditions/injuries commonly effect someone’s ability to squat. There are plenty of other exercises that develop the lower body that work better for these situations. Workout programs need to be built on exercises the individual wants to do and is safely capable of doing, even if it means that a popular or effective exercise like the squat isn’t included.