In traditional sweats, the idea is not to get out between rounds. Many folks who are new to sweating may need to get out for a few minutes between rounds for a breath of fresh air. I find that a pitch fork and a long rake work well in getting the rocks out of the fire. I rack the rocks out towards the edge, right up onto the pitchfork. That way all the coals get left behind.
Coals make the air in the lodge smoky and hard to breathe.
Ashes are brushed off from the rocks with a pine branch. Once again, all the rocks are sprinkled with cedar before they are placed into the hole in the lodge for the sweat. During each round, the temperature is regulated by how much water is put on the rocks. While steam is created by spilling water onto the rocks, water also causes the rocks to lose their heat faster. So the choice has to be made between hot and short rounds, or long and cooler ones.