Brown belt strains here and there (3)
I believe the answer is:
tan
'brown belt' is the definition.
'tan' can be an answer for 'belt' (I've seen this before). I'm not certain of the 'brown' bit.
'strains here and there' is the wordplay.
'here and there' means one should take alternating letters (here and then can mean regularly).
The alternate letters of 'strains' are 'TAN'.
(Other definitions for tan that I've seen before include "Reddish-brown" , "Bronze" , "Lie in sun" , "Skin colour after exposure to ultraviolet rays" , "Catch the sun" .)