The exhale is nature's strongest emotional and physical release.

Nervous and Tight? Exhale!

Feel your exhale downward from your lungs into your stomach. Exhaling below the lungs increases the benefit.
Feel your body and muscles softening as you release your breath.
Feel your nervous system quieting as you release your breath.
Feel your emotions calming as you release your breath.

The inhale oxygenates the body. A quality inhale fills the stomach before the chest. Consider studying Alexander Technique and yoga breathing.
A quality exhale directs air downward from your lungs into your stomach. Exhaling below the lungs increases the benefit. Consider studying Alexander Technique and yoga breathing.
Free breathing is made possible by good posture.
Notice how dropping your chin constricts your breath.
Notice how rounded shoulders constrict your breath.
Holding your breath in your chest can raise the shoulders and lift your weight off of the instrument.
Exhaling helps release weight onto the instrument and allows gravity and arm weight to replace muscle and pressing down as a source of vertical strength.“
The martial arts use the explosive exhale as a source of speed and power.