Rutgers student founds fitness company
Jason Saran is helping students stay fit and comfy with his company, Alva Fitness.
The School of Arts and Sciences junior said that the idea for the company came from his brother, Desi Saran.
“He came to me with the idea of bringing something new to the fitness (and) streetwear industry and of course I seized the opportunity. Being able to work on some of my biggest passions is one thing, but to share the experience with my own brother is awesome,” he said.
Jason Saran said fitness is important to him because he has always felt he should be comfortable in his own body. He started working out because he was a distance runner throughout high school and dreamt of competing on the Rutgers men's track and field team.
“Growing up, I was always a scrawny kid and I wanted a change,” he said. "Spending hours in the gym not only changed my body but taught me discipline and priority. I feel like it overall made me sharper."
His dreams were halted by a back injury senior year of high school. He had to stop competing.
“I was probably around 140 pounds my senior year and very scrawny. To fill the void of missing three-plus hours every day of training, I began working out. The stronger I got, the more confident I felt and the less I was picked on. This was a special time in my life,” he said.
With Alva Fitness he hopes to change what the fitness industry represents, he said. He wants to present the world with clothing but also wants to provide valuable information to the everyday person.
The company is currently in the process of creating a YouTube channel that provides fitness and dieting information to the fitness community.
“I feel like everyone involved in fitness wants to belong to a specific niche, but no one is helping out the everyday person who wants to live a healthy lifestyle,” he said. "We will be the ones to do that. Our clothes are made for in and out of the gym."
He said there needs to be a change in the fitness industry.
In today’s world, Instagram is filled with fitness models providing unqualified dieting plans and advisement, he said.
Alva Fitness is comprised of knowledgeable athletes, some of which have degrees in the nutrition field, he said.
“We want to provide useful, valuable information to the world for free. We also love art and comfy clothing, of course,” he said. "Over time, you will see how our clothes are pieces you will end up wearing to work out and go out."
Jason Saran, who also works for a company called Sprayground, said he is always working. He can see himself running Alva Fitness with his brother for a very long time.
“I am always constantly looking for ways to keep learning and improving my craft. I am usually in the gym or training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu seven days of the week. I also have other projects I would like to present to the world as well. My goal in life is to create something that impacts others more so than it has myself,” he said.
Jason Saran said he really enjoys what he does now.
“I really enjoy this field, and knowing that I can help others make big changes in their lives. I like where I am at now, but I am open to many other opportunities,” he said.
Sanjana Chandrasekharan is a School of Arts and Sciences first-year student majoring in political science. She is a staff writer for The Daily Targum.
