Ask for exercise to get so strange (4)
I believe the answer is:
pose
'ask' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'exercise to get so strange' is the wordplay.
'exercise' becomes 'pe' (Physical Education).
'to get' indicates putting letters inside.
'strange' indicates an anagram.
'so' with letters rearranged gives 'os'.
'pe' placed around 'os' is 'POSE'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for pose that I've seen before include "Attitude struck" , "Models do it for photographic or artistic purposes" , "Strike an attitude as for photo" , "Present (problem), sit" , "Pretence" .)