# Three count **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708 "2015-10-06T13:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/1 "2015-10-06T13:22:06Z")
3… 2… 1! or 1… 2… 3! ? ---
**Author:** ![brovolone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@brovolone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brovolone)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/2 "2015-10-06T13:27:10Z")
1 = go ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/3 "2015-10-06T13:40:29Z")
1… 2… 2-and-a-half… 2-and-three-quarters… 2-and-fifteen-sixteenths… 7! ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/4 "2015-10-06T13:47:44Z")
1 - 2 - start shooting - 3 3, 2, 1 is more for rocket scientists. Anytime I hear it I think of the old song You too may be a big hero, Once you’ve learned to count backwards to zero. “In German oder English I know how to count down, Und I’m learning Chinese!” says Wernher von Braun. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/5 "2015-10-06T14:10:19Z")
One, two, _ **five!** _ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/6 "2015-10-06T14:11:44Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > 1… > > 2… > > 2-and-a-half… > > 2-and-three-quarters… > > 2-and-fifteen-sixteenths… > > 7! Antelope Freeway, one mile… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/7 "2015-10-06T14:32:39Z")
The question ain’t right. 1-2-3 is a count. 3-2-1 is a countdown. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/8 "2015-10-06T14:57:21Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > One, two, _ **five!** _ 😃 Three, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/9 "2015-10-06T15:51:49Z")
Paper-Rock-Scissors is 1, 2, 3, go! If “on 3” is specified, then of course it’s 1, 2, 3! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/10 "2015-10-06T16:28:13Z")
It kind of depends for me. For a race, it’s “3-2-1-go!” for me. For other instances (like I’m about to take a picture of someone, say, jumping), it’s “1-2-3-go!” No idea why. Pretty arbitrary, but that’s how I seem to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/11 "2015-10-06T16:30:53Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > One, two, _ **five!** _ 😃 Three, Sir! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/12 "2015-10-06T17:39:42Z")
The important thing is that everyone agrees on what’s what before we charge the enemy. (I tend to go 3, 2, 1, go. Everyone OK with that? Cool, let’s get ready…) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/13 "2015-10-07T05:01:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Well, it’s one for the money, > Two for the show, > Three to get ready, > Now go, cat, go. > > But don’t you step on my blue suede shoes.\* – Carl Perkins and Elvis ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/14 "2015-10-07T05:50:14Z")
1…2…3 go! ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/15 "2015-10-07T06:07:01Z")
Depends If it is starting a race 3-2-1 go Picking up something heavy or working with someone where a coordinated movement or effort is needed “on three 1 - 2 - 3(effort)” or on occasions “on lift - 3 - 2 - 1 LIFT(effort)” When letting the kids know patience has left the building and gone for a long walk ’ it needs to be done by the count of 3 , onnnnnnnee, twwwwwwoooooo, three" So on the countdown I use a word after the one as the action starter, on the count up, hitting 3 is the action starter. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/16 "2015-10-07T14:09:12Z")
1…2…3! I always find it confusing when someone says “Ok, let’s go on 3” and then they start “3…” If you say ON 3, why are you STARTING with 3? Thus, if someone says that I expect it to be ON 3, then I expect the start to be ON 3, which is also why I don’t like “1…2…3…Go!” That said, if we’re doing a 3 count, then I’m fine with 3…2…1…Go!, because I’m expecting roughly 3s and going on zero, thus is makes sense not to go on 1. Usually, particularly when it comes to lifting something heavy, that “Go” can often be silent, especially if it’s something done repeatedly. However, because some have that extra beat and some don’t, I think this one can be ambiguous. In my experience at the gym spotting people who need lift-off, it’s almost always “1…2…3!” Often, there’s not even a “On 3” it’s just “Give me a lift-off”. Admittedly, though, it could be part of just the culture at my gym and that may or may not be universal, especially since I still run into a few people here and there that don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/17 "2015-10-07T14:58:30Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I always find it confusing when someone says “Ok, let’s go on 3” and then they start “3…” If you say ON 3, why are you STARTING with 3? Thus, if someone says that I expect it to be ON 3, then I expect the start to be ON 3, which is also why I don’t like “1…2…3…Go!” The first Mission Impossible movie had that. Cruise says “on three” and then immediately yells “THREE!”. Made me jump, and I was just watching. Wasn’t there some movie or TV episode where the characters debated “is is 1-2-3-go or 1-2-go?” ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/18 "2015-10-07T15:38:20Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Wasn’t there some movie or TV episode where the characters debated “is is 1-2-3-go or 1-2-go?” [Lethal Weapon 2](https://youtu.be/vKePn-57zAA?t=2m20s)? And I believe that particular scene is actually a callback to a scene from the beginning of the movie when one of them jumps on “Three!” while the other one watches him, confused (because he was waiting the extra second), and then an argument ensues, following the explosion or whatever it was, to the effect of, “I thought it was 1, 2, 3, then go!” “We always go on 3!” and so on. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/19 "2015-10-07T16:15:14Z")
Actually now that I think about it (and a little research), [that argument scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loqVpdADhtY) was from the opening scene from Lethal Weapon 4, in which they are referencing the toilet bomb scene from Lethal Weapon 2. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708/20 "2015-10-07T16:25:04Z")
It depends on whether you’re launching a rocket or kicking in a door. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-count/733708.md?page=2)