[Ansteorra-rapier] Rapier Combat stages of training vs martial arts rank belts

[yodel@texas.net]

I hope I am not asking a stupid newbie question here.  If I am please forgive
my ignorance.  However, I suspect that this topic has come up before.

In the interest of improving my health and getting back to an activity I enjoy,
I have been putting together my own personal training program.  I come from a
martial arts background (Togakure ryu Taijutsu).  I am looking at approaching
rapier study as a martial art.  Most martial arts have phases of training that
the student moves through.  The accomplishment of each of these phases are
often represented by some sort of rank belt system.

Now I am not looking for a rank belt structure for rapier.  However, I am
curious as to what the different milestones (or phases of focus) are in rapier
combat training.  Invariably, everyone's training path will be different.
However, I cannot help but think that there are some stages or phases that are
universal.

With that in mind, if you were going to lay out a general training program for
a class of rapier students, what levels would you set up and what would be the
focus of each level? What would expect the students to be able to do or know at
the different levels?

I will admit that I am not sure that my thinking on this is completely valid
and I welcome any feedback.

Thanks for your imput,
John Hidalgo