Reduce Polygons Lag

[marquism3DD84]

No matter what I do, Reduce Mesh seems to always slow me down.

[I tried what was suggested before in the forums: Deleting history on the mesh I reduced actually breaks it from the model -- I reduced the vest he's wearing]. I also tried to bind/copy weights, but that too didn't seem to work. Lol Nothing did.

Hoped it would be the opposite of lagging, since it's reducing the mesh. Curious to know if anyone knows the solution to this problem or had the same experience?

The .ma file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1PNQZu6Yx2WX0x4enBhM2pWTWs/view?usp=sharing

Something tells me the solution is so simple, but couldn't figure it out for days...

Info:

I learned about it watching this video tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ztme74jJzE&list=PL5mIGWcDBqR-6VL5umOrztQWb1rlX6AL5

Original solution in the forums:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/modeling/reducing-polygons-keeps-looping-on-edit/m-p/5856053#M11708

[damaggio]

You can't try to reduce a character that is binded already, this rig might be too heavy for your computer and reducing tool will brake the topology.

You should start with a better mesh marquism, it's only gonna give you more troubles.

You can try to un-bind the character but you wont be able to save the painted weights because you gonna be reducing the mesh .

[damaggio]

As you see in the video the reduce tool is better for static meshes , not charcters.

[marquism3DD84]

Ah, I see. I'll try to start straight from the beginning again.

Figured this would be a unique shortcut post-rigging.

Thanks.