The shifter gates are real small on all honda manual transmissions to prevent u from downshifting to first. also keep in mind that your first gear is connected to reverse somehow inside your transmission....i dont kno the exact names or whatever...but i kno it has something to do with the input/output shafts in there

think of how reverse is hard to get into, to prevent u from going into reverse gear while in forward motion. its the same principle for first gear....so i'm told...i think i'm repeating stuff i vaguely remember from an old post