Breathing takes Practice

Old habits die hard.
I feel the puffs of air rising from the bottom of my diaphragm.
I raise it like a sword that is going to help me get through to the end of the bar. Sometimes I get through but drop the air like it is made of lead.
Other times I slowly lower the end of the sword until
it is resting at the bottom of my diaphragm until next time it is needed.