Currently, for some complex plastic deformations, the analytical solution can not be obtained by using Mises yield criterion, because Mises yield criterion is nine dimensions, the velocity field is complex, and the solving methods are not innovative. Corresponding solutions of these problems are that yield criterion is linearized to reduce the variable numbers, and the velocity field and the solving methods are reasonably simplified, respectively. In this paper, a new linear yield criterion-mean yield(MY) criterion and inner-product of strain rate vector are used to analytically solve 3D forging taking into account bugling of sides. The velocity field is expressed as a vector in three dimensions, and rotation and divergence are applied to confirm that the velocity field is kinematically admissible. Then, the corresponding strain rate tensor of the velocity field is transformed into principal one by making the determinant of coefficients of the tensor cubic equation be zero. By using MY criterion, the plastic power is term by term integrated and summed according to inner-product of strain rate vector. An upper bound analytical solution is obtained for the forging, and verified by a pure lead press test. The test result turns out that the total pressure calculated by MY criterion is higher by 2.5%?15% than measuring value. In addition, a measuring formula of bulging parameter (a) is proposed, but the values of a measured by the formula are lower than those optimized by the golden section search. The total pressure calculated by MY criterion is compared with the ones by twin shear, Trasca yield, and Mises yield criterion. The comparing result shows that the total pressure calculated by MY criterion is slightly higher than the mean value of that by twin shear and Trasca yield criterion, and lower than that by Mises yield criterion, but more close to that by Mises yield criterion compared with that by other two. The proposed analytical solving methods can be effectively used to other complex plastic deformation, simplifying the solving process and obtaining the reasonable results.