In various aspects, a lightweight connecting rod for an internal combustion engine is provided. The lightweight connecting rod has one or more of: hollow regions, lattice regions, or weight reduction apertures. The connecting rod may be made via an additive manufacturing process. The connecting rod includes a first end, a second end, and an arm. The first end is configured to be pivotally connected to a piston. The second end is configured to be pivotally connected to a crankshaft. The arm extends between the first end and the second end. The arm includes a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall has an outer surface, an inner surface, and an interior region. The interior region is defined be the inner surface. The interior region includes at least one void space. The void space is a lattice structure or a hollow region.