How to do cardio?

A finding from my inquiry that had a huge impact on me was discovering how little dance alone actually improves fitness levels.

 ‘Dance training is not sufficient enough to overload the energy and musculoskeletal systems and thus to produce physiological adaptations that will enhance each individual fitness component’. (Angioi, 2014).

 Aerobic activity - With oxygen. Various sustained exercises that stimulate and strengthen the heart and lungs, therefore improving the body's utilisation of oxygen. Examples include jogging, rowing, swimming and cycling.
Anaerobic activity - Without oxygen. Physical exercise of any short duration that is powered primarily by metabolic pathways that produce lactic acid. Examples include short sprints and heavy weight lifting. 

 So, dance requires cardiovascular strength but dancing does not actually help build cardio. This led me to ponder on the question, how can dancers improve cardiovascular strength?

 Running:
Pros -  Increases stamina, makes heart and lungs more efficient.
Cons - High pressure sport, too much strain on joints. 

 Cross-trainer:
Pros - Increases stamina, low impact on joints
Cons - Can be heavy on legs if used on too high resistance.

 I would like to find out more about what other forms of cardio training dancers do. Please comment below and share links about what kind of cardio you do/think is beneficial and mention and pros/cons.

What is your favourite type of cardio do you do?

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