Purpose:
Sport activities comprise the main forms of physical activity, which include sport disciplines and sport events. The main aim of the work is to evaluate the differentiation of the somatic constitution, physical fitness and the respiratory abilities in officer cadets of the Military Academy of Land Forces, depending on the level of their sports activity.

Methods:
The research material was gathered as a result of testing officer cadets of the Military Academy of Land Forces in 2014. The testing covered a research sample of 90 men. The mean age of the examined cadets was 22.9 years. Examinations of the students included anthropometric measurements, physical fitness tests, spirometry and a survey.

Results:
The results indicate the lack of significant differences in the body build characteristics of officer cadets. Only the body mass index was different. Separated groups of students, in term of sports activity, were characterised by similar physical fitness and the different level of the efficiency of the respiratory system. The higher level of these respiratory abilities distinguished sports active officer cadets, in comparison with passive officer cadets.

Conclusions:
Sports activities in leisure time did not turn out to be a factor, which significantly differentiated the somatic characteristics of officer cadets. Sports activity was not also part of lifestyle, which significantly differentiated the level of the majority of the analysed functional and respiratory abilities. Only in the case of the cardio-respiratory efficiency, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity, active cadets were characterised by a significantly higher level of these physiological abilities, in comparison with less active cadets.