I'm curious how lifting would compare to other core activities, like hiking or lumberjacking.
Also, as an aside, for the duration of that one rep, (if the weight is sufficiently heavy for the lifter) the mind narrows focus completely - no other conscious thoughts are present at that time. This is an interesting contrast to how many of our HN-type minds usually operate.
Agree it's very, very good for calming my mind.
Rock climbing is the same way when you're in a precarious position or executing a difficult move.
Cycling for a long time tends to completely clear my mind, but I don't know the feeling of "learning to coordinate" that you're talking about.
If muscle mass is the goal, hiking isn’t the best way to do that. But it can be healthy in a variety of ways for many people.