The best shoulder exercises and why they’re essential to your workout

This is why you shouldn't overlook working your shoulders

You know you're supposed to work your back and chest... maybe you even put a heavy emphasis on building your biceps and triceps, but are you neglecting your shoulders?

If you are, it's time to make a change. The shoulder joint is the most flexible joint in the entire body — which is pretty amazing, actually, except that with its propensity for flexibility comes an increased instability and risk for injury.

And injury is pretty common — especially given that the shoulder is used, well, all the time. Want to grab something off a shelf? You're using your shoulder. Want to push yourself up out of bed? You're using your shoulder. Want to turn the steering wheel while driving? You're using your shoulder.

More: Workouts for Women

See? It's pretty important to Workout for Women, which is precisely why you need to make a point of working it when you work out. The good news is compound exercises — including push-ups, planks and assisted pull-ups — already help get the many (many!) muscles of your shoulders warmed up. So, if you're already engaged in a full-body routine, you probably haven't completely neglected your shoulders.

That doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels. By specifically targeting your shoulders with the following exercises, you can increase strength and stability in your shoulder joint, helping reduce the likelihood of injury.

1.    Dumbbell shoulder press

This compound, multijoint exercise engages all three deltoid muscle heads, as well as the back, chest, triceps and other stabilizing muscles, which is precisely why it should be performed first.

Stand, kneel or sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height with elbows bent, palms facing away from you. Press the dumbbells straight up over your head, stopping just before your elbows fully extend. Reverse the movement and return to start.

2. Lateral dumbbell raise

Isolate the middle, or lateral, deltoid with a lateral dumbbell raise. Stand or kneel, holding a dumbbell in each hand, your arms at your sides, palms facing toward your body. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, engage your shoulders and raise your arms straight up and out to your sides, stopping when they're extended out laterally at shoulder height. Reverse the movement and return to start.

3. Front dumbbell raise

Isolate the anterior, or front, deltoid with a front raise. Stand or kneel, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides — but this time, rotate your arms slightly forward, so your hands are in front of your thighs, your palms facing your body. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, engage your shoulders and raise your arms straight up in front of your body, stopping when they're extended forward at shoulder height. Reverse the movement and return to start.

4. Reverse fly

Isolate the posterior, or rear, delts with a reverse fly. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, your feet hip-distance apart, your knees slightly bent. Press your hips back and tip forward from the hips, lowering your chest toward the floor while keeping your back straight. Allow your arms to hang from your shoulders, but keep your muscles engaged, your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing one another.

6. Resistance band scapular squeeze