The effect of exercise on plasma insulin, free fatty acid, and glucose uptake and glycogen concentration in soleus, and intravenous glucose tolerance of streptozotocin treated, diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Diabetic-trained animals were subjected to a regular program of treadmill running for 4 weeks. Seventy-two hours after the last training session, basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was studied in incubated strips (about 20 mg) of soleus muscle in vitro. Glucose tolerance was measured with intravenous infusion of 0.5 g glucose/kg body weight. In diabetic rats, training was associated with increase glucose uptake in basal and maximal insulin concentrations, decreased fasting glucose concentrations, and increased muscle glycogen levels, but there were no changes in glucose tolerance curve and plasma insulin concentrations. These results suggest that regular running program for 4 weeks improve responsiveness of insulin on soleus muscle, but fails to cause improvement of impaired intravenous glucose tolerance in mild degree streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.