Hi
I am doing 8 sets of 2 and adding one rep to each set each session to reach 8*3 before I add weight
Why does the first set feel heavier than the rest?
Neural activation. That’s why warmups/rampups are a thing.
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What’s the best warm up set progression?
Acclimation.
Your body may be “warming up” or getting used to that weight as you get further into the workout.
For instance, my work set on squats last night was 295. I did sets of 3-5 at 135, 205, 235, 265…
When I started my set at 295, the first few reps sucked. Reps 4-7 all went real smooth and I felt like a king. I was in the groove. Of course, reps 8-10 sucked ass, but built character and maybe a bit of muscle…
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That’s the word I’m looking for. Thank you. I never know how to explain this, but at least there is accurate verbage out there…
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Cheers
I’m doing ohp trying to get it up .
So close to 40kg which I no is not heavy for most but me it is but 37.5kg the first set of two feel heavy
And like you said once I’m in the groove the weight feels easier not as in less effort but just somewhat easier
That depends on your goals and what works for you, and I am not a coach, but this is what works for me. I’m randomly picking deadlift.
1.) Bar for ten, figure out foot placement and get form ready.
2.) 135 for whatever I need to have it dialed in. Usually stop at 12 or 15.
3.) 225 is the first working set. Stop at 8. you’re not done yet.
The numbers are made up and the points don’t matter, but I hope this helps to explain what I said. I’m sure other people will have more interesting ideas.
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Cheers mate 
Sounds like overcoming isometrics could be a good tool for you before your main lift.
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Neural activation is definitely part of it, but also improving form over the course of the workout. With the fact you’re not lifting very heavy weights yet, I feel like simply becoming better at the exercise itself is a massive factor.
I actually trained similarly for a while. When I was doing ~7-10sets of ~2 on the OHP I would start off with a certain working weight and the first set or two would feel difficult, that second rep sometimes being a bit of a grind. By the 3rd set it would fly up and I would end up adding weight that same workout.
It might go something like this
60kg x 2 (hard)
60kg x 2 (much better)
60kg x 2 (that was way too easy)
61kg x 2 (still too easy)
62kg x 2 (similar to second set with the 60kg)
62kg x 2 (about the same)
62kg x 2 (little grindier)
63kg x 1 (just to finish)
Progressing was pretty easy as there were 8 sets for which to do it in. Perhaps the following week I would move up to 61kg on the second set as the first set was easier, perhaps then I would make it the opening working set. Perhaps I get 3 reps with some of those sets. Maybe I occasionally add another single.
Stick with your 8 x 2-3. I’m just exampling how the experience would go for me in terms of the weights feeling lighter or heavier.
For something like that, with OHP, I might do some throws with a medicine ball in my warmup. That can help “switch you on” without a bunch of fatigue.
How has this progression been working for you so far? I know you’ve posted about it a few times. Hopefully, you’re seeing the strength gains you’re after.
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Yeah
I’m getting way stronger
Now Ive fixed my ohp I’m trying to fix my RDLs where I feel it more in my back
Fixed my bench press (learnt to stay tight)
Fixed my peck deck where I would feel my shoulders like a idiot
Fixed my ohp to actually do the form correct lol 
Now the RDL so any help on my new post would help me 
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I was reading through a book by Charles Poliquin the other day. He said he improved the Hepburn method by adding one set of 8 reps with a slow (5 second) lowering, before all the sets of 2 or 3.
He said this helped with neural activation and made all the other sets better.
And Poliquin liked this set/rep scheme for all kinds of lifts, presses and squats, dips, even preacher curls.
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You basically can’t go wrong with a preacher curl!
Was he doing sets of 2-3 on those smaller movements too? Or more just that he liked the slow negative as a primer before working sets in general?
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Yeah, he would use the multiple low rep sets for curls and tricep stuff too.
So “Arm Day” could be like
A1. Curls 1 set of 8
7 sets of 2-3
A2. Dips 1 set of 8
7 sets of 2-3
B1. Different type of Curl, 3-4 sets of 5-6
B2. Different Tricep lift, 3-4 sets of 5-6
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Any other books you recommend I like Doug Hepburn