Disclosed herein is a method of forming a high strength aluminum alloy. The method comprises heating an aluminum material to a solutionizing temperature for a solutionizing time such that the magnesium and zinc are dispersed throughout the extruded aluminum material to form a solutionized aluminum material. The method includes quenching the solutionized aluminum material to form a quenched aluminum material. The method also includes aging the quenched aluminum material to form an aluminum alloy, then subjecting the aluminum alloy to an ECAE process to form a high strength aluminum alloy.