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There are various approaches to measuring the descent angle.
# The best option is to use a Digital Angle Meter (<jfs id="B006JR8XBG" noreferb="true"/>) to measure the actual angle.
# You can try a smartphone app, which should give you a reasonable estimate of the descent angle. I found [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clinometer-+-bubble-level/id286215117?mt=8 Clinometer works reasonably well]], and the compass app that's built into iOS will provide a simple angle meter.
# You can do some simple math by measuring the distance between the front and back supports of your treadmill. If you want a 10% decline, you'd need to prop up the back by 10% of the length of the treadmill. So if your treadmill is 54 inches long, you'd need to prop it up by 5.4 inches to get 10%. However, you need to check the floor is flat; my garage has a 2% slope on it!
=Gallery=
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|[[File:Treadmill.jpg|none|thumb|x300px| Here you can see my treadmill with the rear raised up on blocks to allow for steep descents.(The blocks shown are my first iteration.)]]
|[[File:Treadmill Blocks.JPG|none|thumb|x300px| I use wooden blocks to prop up the back of the treadmill by about 8 inches/20cm, which provides for a 12% decline when the treadmill is set to level. I've built a "wall" around the top of the blocks to prevent the treadmill from falling off. The treadmill coming off one of the blocks is quite dramatic and quite bad.]]
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